Danish finance minister to become prime minister
By Rasmus Jorgensen
COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Danish Finance Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen has won the backing of the Liberal Party’s coalition allies to become prime minister after Anders Fogh Rasmussen steps down on Sunday to be the new head of NATO.
Fogh Rasmussen, who was appointed NATO Secretary-General at a summit of the military alliance on Saturday, is expected to hand in his resignation to Queen Margrethe II on Sunday, his office said in a statement.
Lokke Rasmussen, 44, is already deputy leader of the ruling Liberals and has won the backing of their coalition partner, the Conservatives, and of the coalition’s ally, the anti-immigrant Danish People’s Party (DPP).
“We will support Lokke without reservation,” Conservative Party leader Lene Espersen told reporters after a meeting with Fogh Rasmussen. The two Rasmussens are not related.
When Fogh Rasmussen, 56, has stepped down, Lokke Rasmussen will go to the queen to be named prime minister. The cabinet will resign, leaving him free to appoint a new ministerial team.
Analysts are tipping Fogh Rasmussen’s key aide and party strategist, Claus Frederiksen, to become finance minister.
Lokke is expected to continue his predecessor’s pro-growth, tax-cutting policies and will also inherit the task of leading negotiations for a global climate treaty in Copenhagen in December and steering Denmark through the economic crisis.
(editing by Tim Pearce)
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