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Rasmus Prehn
Rasmus Prehn
	Prehn at Folkemødet in 2012
Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries
	In office; 19 November 2020 – 15 December 2022
Prime Minister	Mette Frederiksen
Preceded by	Mogens Jensen
Succeeded by	Jacob Jensen
Minister for Development Cooperation
	In office; 27 June 2019 – 19 November 2020
Prime Minister	Mette Frederiksen
Preceded by	Ulla Tørnæs
Succeeded by	Flemming Møller Mortensen
Member of the Folketing
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; 8 February 2005
Constituency	North Jutland
Personal details
Born	18 June 1973 (age 51); Høje-Taastrup, Denmark
Political party	Social Democrats
Children	3
Alma mater	Aalborg University, University of Leeds

Rasmus Prehn (born 18 June 1973) is a Danish politician who has been a member of the Folketing since the 2005 Danish general election. He served as Minister for Development Cooperation from 2019 to 2020, and as Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries from 2020 to 2022.

Background

Prehn was born in Høje-Taastrup to Flemming Prehn and Birte Hanne Prehn, and is married to Heidi Linnemann Prehn.^[1] He studied at Aalborg University and the University of Leeds, graduating with a Master's degree in social science.^[1]

Political career

Prehn has been a member of Folketinget for the Social Democrats since the 2005 national elections. During his time in parliament, he served as chairman of the Committee on Research, Education and Further Education.

Prehn was appointed Minister for Development Cooperation in the Frederiksen Cabinet on 27 June 2019.^[2] In this capacity, he pledged a total of US$51 million in contributions of Denmark to Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria for the 2020-2022 period.^[3]

In 2022 it was revealed that Prehn had essentially committed embezzlement, by using his ministerial credit card, to pay for a dinner in 2020. When asked, he lied about it, and stated that the dinner had been with journalist Søren Wormslevs. Wormslevs denied ever having dined with Prehn, and Prehn later confirmed he had never dined with Wormslevs.^[4] As a result of the scandal, the state accountants decided that all ministers use of their ministerial credit cards from 2015 and onward was to be investigated. Prehn said it saddened him that he had contributed to the investigation being launched. He was however never convicted of a crime, due to the immunity politicians have in regards to indictments.^[5]

Also in 2022, Prehn was re-elected as Member of the Folketing, though with only a third of the votes he got in 2019.^[6] He was subsequently replaced as Minister for Development Cooperation by Jacob Jensen

Personal life

Prehn has three children.^[1] One of his children, Nikoline Prehn (born 2002), is also a member of the Social Democrats, and was an unsuccessful candidate in the 2022 election.^[7]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "Rasmus Prehn / The Danish Parliament". The Danish Parliament. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
^ Deleuran Müller, Thea (27 June 2019). "Danmarks nye regering er nu på plads: Se hele Mette Frederiksens ministerhold her". dr.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 3 July 2019.
^ "Denmark Increases Pledge in Fight Against Epidemics". Theglobalfund.org. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
^ "Minister skrev galt navn på regning – kan ikke forklare bilagsfejl - TV 2". nyheder.tv2.dk (in Danish). 6 July 2022. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
^ "Ministres brug af kreditkort skal undersøges: Det ærgrer mig, at jeg er årsagen, siger Prehn - TV 2". nyheder.tv2.dk (in Danish). 20 September 2022. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
^ "Socialdemokratiet gik frem - men flere ministre får hug af vælgerne". DR (in Danish). 3 November 2022. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
^ Bagge, Christoffer (3 November 2022). "Prehns datter kommer ikke i Folketinget". Berlingske.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 3 November 2022.

External links

Biography on the website of the Danish Parliament (Folketinget)

Political offices
Preceded by Ulla Tørnæs	Minister for Development Cooperation 2019–2020	Succeeded by Flemming Møller Mortensen
Preceded by Mogens Jensen	Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries 2020–	Succeeded by Incumbent