Søren Pind
Encyclopedia
Søren Pind is a Danish politician. A member of the center-right party Venstre
, he was appointed Minister for Refugees, Immigrants and Integration
in March 2011.
Pind was born in Herning
, and served in the Copenhagen city government
from 1994 to 2005. Søren Pind is considered more liberal than most other members of his party. In 2003, he was part of a group of party members who issued the "ten liberal theses", a document unsuccessfully challenging the direction the party was taking under Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen
.
He was appointed to the cabinet of Lars Løkke Rasmussen
during a cabinet reshuffle in February 2010, becoming Minister for Development Cooperation
. He was appointed Minister for Integration on 8 March 2011, thus holding double ministerial office. Søren Pind quickly became the subject of much public scorn, following his proclamations that immigrants in Denmark should become assimilated
rather than integrated
into the Danish society, remarking that “the way I see it, when you choose Denmark, you choose Denmark because you want to become Danish.”. With his appointment as Minister for Integration, the Danish center-right government is believed to have taken a closer step towards the nationalist conservative Danish People's Party
not in government. On 4 February 2008, the minister wrote on his personal blog:
Venstre (Denmark)
VenstreThe party name is officially not translated into any other language, but is in English often referred to as the Liberal Party. Similar rules apply for the name of the party's youth wing Venstres Ungdom. , full name Venstre, Danmarks Liberale Parti , is the largest political party in Denmark...
, he was appointed Minister for Refugees, Immigrants and Integration
Minister for Refugees, Immigrants and Integration (Denmark)
Minister for Refugees, Immigrants and Integration of Denmark is a Danish ministerial office, often abbreviated as "Minister for Integration" . The office was created by Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen on 27 November 2001 when he formed the Cabinet of Anders Fogh Rasmussen I after the 2001...
in March 2011.
Pind was born in Herning
Herning
Herning Municipality is a municipality in Region Midtjylland on the Jutland peninsula in western Denmark. The municipality covers an area of 1,336 km² and a total population of 84,208...
, and served in the Copenhagen city government
Copenhagen municipality
Copenhagen Municipality is the largest of the municipalities making up the city of Copenhagen. It lies at the center of Copenhagen and contains the old historic city....
from 1994 to 2005. Søren Pind is considered more liberal than most other members of his party. In 2003, he was part of a group of party members who issued the "ten liberal theses", a document unsuccessfully challenging the direction the party was taking under Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen
Anders Fogh Rasmussen
Anders Fogh Rasmussen is a Danish politician, and the 12th and current Secretary General of NATO. Rasmussen served as Prime Minister of Denmark from 27 November 2001 to 5 April 2009....
.
He was appointed to the cabinet of Lars Løkke Rasmussen
Cabinet of Lars Løkke Rasmussen
The cabinet of Danish Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, was announced on April 5, 2009 as Lars Løkke became prime minister after Anders Fogh Rasmussen was offered the post of Secretary General of NATO on April 4, 2009....
during a cabinet reshuffle in February 2010, becoming Minister for Development Cooperation
Minister for Development Cooperation of Denmark
Minister for Development Cooperation of Denmark is a Danish minister office. The office was introduced with the Cabinet of Poul Nyrup Rasmussen I on 25 January 1993. The minister works in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark...
. He was appointed Minister for Integration on 8 March 2011, thus holding double ministerial office. Søren Pind quickly became the subject of much public scorn, following his proclamations that immigrants in Denmark should become assimilated
Cultural assimilation
Cultural assimilation is a socio-political response to demographic multi-ethnicity that supports or promotes the assimilation of ethnic minorities into the dominant culture. The term assimilation is often used with regard to immigrants and various ethnic groups who have settled in a new land. New...
rather than integrated
Social integration
Social integration, in sociology and other social sciences, is the movement of minority groups such as ethnic minorities, refugees and underprivileged sections of a society into the mainstream of societies...
into the Danish society, remarking that “the way I see it, when you choose Denmark, you choose Denmark because you want to become Danish.”. With his appointment as Minister for Integration, the Danish center-right government is believed to have taken a closer step towards the nationalist conservative Danish People's Party
Danish People's Party
The Danish People's Party is a political party in Denmark which is frequently described as right-wing populist by political scientists and commentators. The party is led by Pia Kjærsgaard...
not in government. On 4 February 2008, the minister wrote on his personal blog:
"I am well-disposed towards a certain form of immigration – but I will fight tooth and nail (that is, of course democratically...) against multiculturalism. This deceitful assertion that all cultures are equal"