Erik Eriksen

Erik Eriksen
15th Prime Minister of Denmark
In office 30 October 1950 – 30 September 1953
Monarch	Frederick IX
Preceded by	Hans Hedtoft
Succeeded by	Hans Hedtoft
President of the Nordic Council
In office 1956–1956
Preceded by	Nils Herlitz
Succeeded by	Lennart Heljas
Personal details
Born	(1902-11-20)20 November 1902 Brangstrup, Ringe
Died	7 October 1972(1972-10-07) (aged 69) Esbjerg
Political party	Venstre

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 Cabinet of Erik Eriksen forming a minority government of Venstre and the Conservative People's Party. Erik 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 Erik Eriksen as Prime Minister and form the Cabinet of Hans Hedtoft.

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 Det Radikale Venstre. He therefore resigned as the leader of his party 1965 and was replaced 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