Villy Søvndal
Encyclopedia
Villy Søvndal is a Danish
politician and Minister for Foreign Affairs in the government of Denmark since October 2011. Søvndal, a member of the Danish Parliament
since 1994, is also leader of the Socialist People's Party
.
Taking over the leadership of the party in 2005 from Holger K. Nielsen
, Søvndal has been the leading figure in the change of profile for the party towards a more centrist stance. This change has led to a steady increase in its support, culminating in the 2007 election, when the party more than doubled its representation in parliament, going from 11 to 23 seats. In the September 2011 election, the parties of the left won a majority—although the Socialist People's Party itself lost seven seats—and Helle Thorning-Schmidt
was designated Prime Minister. Søvndal successfully led the party's negotiations to form a government that included six ministers from the Socialist People's Party, with himself as Minister for Foreign Affairs. This marks the first time in Danish parliamentary history that the Socialist People's Party has been part of the government.
from 1980 to 1992.
in Latin America
and Eastern Europe
.
Villy Søvndal became a member of parliament in 1994 where he became party spokesman on defence and social politics. Before he became a member of parliament he served as a city councillor in Kolding
where he was chairman of the social committee for many years.
Søvndal was elected as party chairman in 2005, replacing Holger K. Nielsen
.
Since he became chairman, his party has experienced an almost constant rise in the opinion polls and in the 2007 election
the Socialist People's Party gained 13 % of the vote and 23 seats in parliament compared to the 11 seats they had before.
In March and February 2008 a lot of attention was focused on Søvndal and his party after he had released harsh statements on anti-democratic Islamist
organisations in Denmark on his blog. For several weeks the party were doing better than the Social Democrats
in the polls and other polls showed that Søvndal was seen as the leader of the opposition by more people than the social democratic leader Helle Thorning-Schmidt
.
Today the main political strategy of Villy Søvndal and the Socialist People's Party is to form a coalition cabinet with the Social Democrats
and the Social Liberal Party with Helle Thorning-Schmidt
as prime minister. Some critics both inside and outside the party accuse Søvndal of having moved his party too far to the centre to achieve this goal. However he remains unchallenged as chairman.
Before that he lived with Laila Rifbjerg in a commune
in Bjert outside of Kolding
.
The biography "Villys Verden" about Søvndal came out in 2008.
His daughter Anna Sofia Rifbjerg Søvndal is also involved in politics. In 2007 she was elected chairman of the Kolding branch of the Youth of the Socialist People's Party
.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
politician and Minister for Foreign Affairs in the government of Denmark since October 2011. Søvndal, a member of the Danish Parliament
Folketing
The Folketing , is the national parliament of Denmark. The name literally means "People's thing"—that is, the people's governing assembly. It is located in Christiansborg Palace, on the islet of Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen....
since 1994, is also leader of the Socialist People's Party
Socialist People's Party (Denmark)
The Socialist People's Party is a green and socialist political party in Denmark.-1959–69:The SF was founded on 15 February 1959 by Aksel Larsen, a former leader of the Communist Party of Denmark and CIA agent. Larsen was removed from the ranks of the DKP for his criticism over the Soviet...
.
Taking over the leadership of the party in 2005 from Holger K. Nielsen
Holger K. Nielsen
Holger Kirkholm Nielsen, known as Holger K. Nielsen for short, is a Danish politician, member of the Danish Folketinget parliament for the Socialist People's Party...
, Søvndal has been the leading figure in the change of profile for the party towards a more centrist stance. This change has led to a steady increase in its support, culminating in the 2007 election, when the party more than doubled its representation in parliament, going from 11 to 23 seats. In the September 2011 election, the parties of the left won a majority—although the Socialist People's Party itself lost seven seats—and Helle Thorning-Schmidt
Helle Thorning-Schmidt
Helle Thorning-Schmidt is a Danish politician and the current Prime Minister of Denmark. She has been leader of the Danish Social Democrats since April 2005 and prime minister since October 2011....
was designated Prime Minister. Søvndal successfully led the party's negotiations to form a government that included six ministers from the Socialist People's Party, with himself as Minister for Foreign Affairs. This marks the first time in Danish parliamentary history that the Socialist People's Party has been part of the government.
Early life
Søvndal is the son of the smallholder Peter Søvndal and his wife Agnes. Søvndal earned a degree from the Kolding teacher-training college in 1980. He worked as a teacher in KoldingKolding
Kolding is a Danish seaport located at the head of Kolding Fjord in Region of Southern Denmark . It is the site of the council Kolding Municipality. It is a transportation, commercial, and manufacturing centre, and has numerous industrial companies, principally geared towards shipbuilding...
from 1980 to 1992.
Political career
Søvndal has himself ascribed his political commitment to experiences in his youth as a backpackerBackpacking (travel)
Backpacking is a term that has historically been used to denote a form of low-cost, independent international travel. Terms such as independent travel and/or budget travel are often used...
in Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
and Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
.
Villy Søvndal became a member of parliament in 1994 where he became party spokesman on defence and social politics. Before he became a member of parliament he served as a city councillor in Kolding
Kolding
Kolding is a Danish seaport located at the head of Kolding Fjord in Region of Southern Denmark . It is the site of the council Kolding Municipality. It is a transportation, commercial, and manufacturing centre, and has numerous industrial companies, principally geared towards shipbuilding...
where he was chairman of the social committee for many years.
Søvndal was elected as party chairman in 2005, replacing Holger K. Nielsen
Holger K. Nielsen
Holger Kirkholm Nielsen, known as Holger K. Nielsen for short, is a Danish politician, member of the Danish Folketinget parliament for the Socialist People's Party...
.
Since he became chairman, his party has experienced an almost constant rise in the opinion polls and in the 2007 election
Danish parliamentary election, 2007
The 66th Folketing election in Denmark was held on 13 November 2007. The election allowed prime minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen to continue for a third term in a coalition government consisting of the Liberals and the Conservative People's Party with parliamentary support from the Danish People's...
the Socialist People's Party gained 13 % of the vote and 23 seats in parliament compared to the 11 seats they had before.
In March and February 2008 a lot of attention was focused on Søvndal and his party after he had released harsh statements on anti-democratic Islamist
Islamism
Islamism also , lit., "Political Islam" is set of ideologies holding that Islam is not only a religion but also a political system. Islamism is a controversial term, and definitions of it sometimes vary...
organisations in Denmark on his blog. For several weeks the party were doing better than the Social Democrats
Social Democrats (Denmark)
The Social Democrats , is a Danish political party committed to the political ideology of social democracy. It is the major coalition partner in Denmark's government since the 2011 parliamentary election, and party leader Helle Thorning-Schmidt is the current Prime Minister of Denmark...
in the polls and other polls showed that Søvndal was seen as the leader of the opposition by more people than the social democratic leader Helle Thorning-Schmidt
Helle Thorning-Schmidt
Helle Thorning-Schmidt is a Danish politician and the current Prime Minister of Denmark. She has been leader of the Danish Social Democrats since April 2005 and prime minister since October 2011....
.
Today the main political strategy of Villy Søvndal and the Socialist People's Party is to form a coalition cabinet with the Social Democrats
Social Democrats (Denmark)
The Social Democrats , is a Danish political party committed to the political ideology of social democracy. It is the major coalition partner in Denmark's government since the 2011 parliamentary election, and party leader Helle Thorning-Schmidt is the current Prime Minister of Denmark...
and the Social Liberal Party with Helle Thorning-Schmidt
Helle Thorning-Schmidt
Helle Thorning-Schmidt is a Danish politician and the current Prime Minister of Denmark. She has been leader of the Danish Social Democrats since April 2005 and prime minister since October 2011....
as prime minister. Some critics both inside and outside the party accuse Søvndal of having moved his party too far to the centre to achieve this goal. However he remains unchallenged as chairman.
Personal life
He married psychologist Heidi Perto at a secret ceremony in the autumn of 2011.Before that he lived with Laila Rifbjerg in a commune
Commune
Commune may refer to:In society:* Commune, a human community in which resources are shared* Commune , a township or municipality* One of the Communes of France* An Italian Comune...
in Bjert outside of Kolding
Kolding
Kolding is a Danish seaport located at the head of Kolding Fjord in Region of Southern Denmark . It is the site of the council Kolding Municipality. It is a transportation, commercial, and manufacturing centre, and has numerous industrial companies, principally geared towards shipbuilding...
.
The biography "Villys Verden" about Søvndal came out in 2008.
His daughter Anna Sofia Rifbjerg Søvndal is also involved in politics. In 2007 she was elected chairman of the Kolding branch of the Youth of the Socialist People's Party
Youth of the Socialist People's Party
Socialistisk Folkepartis Ungdom is the youth wing of the Socialist People's Party of Denmark, founded in 1969...
.
External links
- CV (in Danish) - From FolketingFolketingThe Folketing , is the national parliament of Denmark. The name literally means "People's thing"—that is, the people's governing assembly. It is located in Christiansborg Palace, on the islet of Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen....
et. - Biography (in Danish) from the website of the Socialist People's Party].
- Søvndal's blog (In Danish)