Erik Eriksen

Danish politician
Erik Eriksen
15th Prime Minister of Denmark
In office
30 October 1950 – 30 September 1953
MonarchFrederik IX
Preceded byHans Hedtoft
Succeeded byHans Hedtoft
President of the Nordic Council
In office
1 January 1956 – 31 December 1956
Preceded byNils Herlitz
Succeeded byLennart Heljas
Leader of Venstre
In office
1950–1965
Preceded byEdvard Sørensen
Succeeded byPoul Hartling
Minister of Agriculture and Fishing
In office
5 May 1945 – 13 November 1947
Prime MinisterVilhelm Buhl
Knud Kristensen
Preceded byKristen Bording
Succeeded byKristen Bording
Personal details
Born(1902-11-20)20 November 1902
Brangstrup, Ringe, Denmark
Died7 October 1972(1972-10-07) (aged 69)
Esbjerg, Denmark
Political partyVenstre
SpouseElse Hansen

Erik Eriksen (20 November 1902 – 7 October 1972) was a Danish politician, who served as Prime Minister of Denmark from 1950 to 1953 and as the fourth President of the Nordic Council in 1956. Eriksen was leader of the Danish Liberal party Venstre from 1950 to 1965. He served as Prime Minister of Denmark from 30 October 1950 to 30 September 1953 as leader of the Eriksen cabinet forming a minority government of Venstre and the Conservative People's Party. Eriksen was a farmer by profession.

The main accomplishment by his government was a revision of the Danish constitution, voted into law in a referendum held in 1953 simultaneously with the parliamentary elections. In addition, a family allowance law was passed in 1952, along with other reforms during Eriksen's time as prime minister. The Rent Act of June 1951, while permitting certain rent increases, extended rent control and security of tenure to cover houses constructed after 1939. In addition, the Public Assistance Act of March 1953 introduced special treatment and assistance for patients with polio. The former Venstre leader and former Prime Minister Knud Kristensen had broken away from Venstre to form his own party, De Uafhængige. This was one of reasons why the social democrat Hans Hedtoft was able to secure the parliamentary support to replace Eriksen as Prime Minister and form the Hedtoft cabinet.

After 1953, Eriksen continued as the leader of the opposition but in the long run his consequent alliance with the Conservatives proved an obstacle to a co-operation with the Radical Left Party. He therefore resigned as the leader of his party in 1965 and was succeeded by Poul Hartling.

References

  • Kristian Hvidt, Statsministre i Danmark fra 1913 til 1995 (1995)
  • Social Democracy and Welfare Capitalism: A Century of Income Security Politics by Alexander Hicks
  • Growth to Limits: The Western European Welfare States Since World War II, Volume 4 edited by Peter Flora
Political offices
Preceded by Prime Minister of Denmark
1950–1953
Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by Leader of Venstre
1950–1965
Succeeded by
  • v
  • t
  • e
Presidents of the Nordic Council
  1. Hans Hedtoft
  2. Einar Gerhardsen
  3. Nils Herlitz
  4. Erik Eriksen
  5. Lennart Heljas
  6. Nils Hønsvald
  7. Bertil Ohlin
  8. Gísli Jónsson
  9. Erik Eriksen
  10. Karl-August Fagerholm
  11. Nils Hønsvald
  12. Bertil Ohlin
  13. Sigurður Bjarnason
  14. Harald Nielsen
  15. Eino Sirén
  16. Svenn Stray
  17. Leif Cassel
  18. Matthías Á. Mathiesen
  19. Jens Otto Krag
  20. V. J. Sukselainen
  21. Kåre Willoch
  22. Johannes Antonsson
  23. Ragnhildur Helgadóttir
  24. Knud Enggaard
  25. V. J. Sukselainen
  26. Trygve Bratteli
  27. Olof Palme
  28. Matthías Á. Mathiesen
  29. Knud Enggaard
  30. Elsi Hetemäki-Olander
  31. Jo Benkow
  32. Karin Söder
  33. Páll Pétursson
  34. Anker Jørgensen
  35. Elsi Hetemäki-Olander
  36. Jan P. Syse
  37. Karin Söder
  38. Páll Pétursson
  39. Anker Jørgensen
  40. Ilkka Suominen
  41. Jan P. Syse
  42. Sten Andersson
  43. Per Olof Håkansson
  44. Geir Haarde
  45. Knud Enggaard
  46. Olof Salmén
  47. Berit Brørby Larsen
  48. Gun Hellsvik
  49. Sigríður Anna Þórðardóttir
  50. Svend Erik Hovmand
  51. Outi Ojala
  52. Inge Lønning
  53. Gabriel Romanus
  54. Rannveig Guðmundsdóttir
  55. Ole Stavad
  56. Dagfinn Høybråten
  57. Erkki Tuomioja
  58. Sinikka Bohlin
  59. Helgi Hjörvar
  60. Henrik Dam Kristensen
  61. Kimmo Sasi
  62. Marit Nybakk
  63. Karin Åström
  64. Hans Wallmark
  65. Höskuldur Þórhallsson
  66. Henrik Dam Kristensen
  67. Britt Lundberg
  68. Michael von Tetzschner
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