Nicolai Wammen
Minister for Finance
Assumed office
27 June 2019
Prime MinisterMette Frederiksen
Preceded byKristian Jensen
Minister for Defence
In office
9 August 2013 – 28 June 2015
Prime MinisterHelle Thorning-Schmidt
Preceded byNick Hækkerup
Succeeded byCarl Holst
Minister of European Affairs
In office
3 October 2011 – 9 August 2013
Prime MinisterHelle Thorning-Schmidt
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byNick Hækkerup
Mayor of Aarhus Municipality
In office
2006–2011
Preceded byLouise Gade
Succeeded byJacob B. Johansen
Member of the Folketing
Assumed office
15 September 2011
ConstituencyEast Jutland
In office
20 November 2001 – 8 February 2005
ConstituencyÅrhus
Personal details
Born (1971-02-07) 7 February 1971
Holbæk, Denmark
Political partySocial Democrats
Alma materUniversity of Aarhus

Nicolai Halby Wammen (born 7 February 1971) is a Danish politician of the Social Democrats who has been serving as Minister for Finance in the government of Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen since 2019. A native and lifelong resident of Denmark's second-largest city, Aarhus, he served as mayor from 2006 to 2011. On the national level, he has served as Minister of European Affairs (2011–2013) and as Minister of Defence (2013–2015).[1]

Political career

Early beginnings

While studying, Wammen became the chairman of the university’s Social Democrat organisation, Frit Forum., and was first elected to the Aarhus City Council in 1998. In the 2001 elections, he was elected to Parliament and served one term. After almost a full term as the party’s shadow finance minister, he pulled out of national politics and was then elected Mayor of Aarhus in 2006. At this time he was also elected vice president of the Social Democrats.[2][3]

Career in national politics

When Helle Thorning-Schmidt led the Social Democrats to victory in Denmark's 2011 elections, Wammen returned to Danish Parliament (representing Aarhus), securing the fifth-highest number of personal votes.[2] He was appointed to the newly created position of Minister of European Affairs in the cabinet of Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt; he held the office from October 2011 to August 2013. In this capacity, he chaired the meetings of the General Affairs Council when Denmark held the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2012.[4]

On 9 August 2013, Prime Minister Thorning-Schmidt announced her first cabinet reshuffle, changing six ministers, including moving Wammen to Minister for Defence, and moving Minister of Defence Nick Hækkerup to Minister of European Affairs and Trade.[5]

Under his leadership as Minister of Finance, the parliament approved a cash handout to the elderly and other measures totalling 3.1 billion Danish crowns ($439 million) to cushion the impact of soaring inflation and high energy prices in 2022.[6]

Personal life

After a year and a half studying law, Wammen switched to political science,[2] and earned a master's degree from the University of Aarhus in 2001.

Wammen is currently married to Karen Lund, and was formerly engaged with Mai Mercado, and Kirsten Brosbøl.[7]

In 2011 Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet reported that Wammen fathered a son, Carl, (born 9 October 2011) with Julie Rademacher, a former member of the Parliament whom the paper described as "a friend". Upon the birth of their son, she resigned from Parliament and moved to Greenland to be with her parents.[2][8]

References

  1. ↑ Rigillo, Nick. "Social Democrat Premier Picks Wammen as New Danish Finance Chief". Bloomberg.com. Bloomberg News. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Albrechtsen, Rikke. "Socialist crown prince". Politico.eu. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  3. ↑ "Mayor Nicolai Wammen". Aarhus Municipality. Retrieved 2010-08-20.
  4. ↑ Vogel, Toby. "EU grants candidate status to Serbia". Politico.eu. European Voice. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  5. ↑ "Danish PM launches reshuffle to try to stem falling support". Reuters.com. Reuters. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  6. ↑ Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen and Nikolaj Skydsgaard (24 June 2022), Danish lawmakers agree cash handout to elderly to offset inflation Reuters.
  7. ↑ "Nicolai Wammen (S)". Ft.dk. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  8. ↑ "Julie: Nicolai er vild med sin søn". Ekstrabladet.dk. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
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