Biography
Andersen finished his degree in political science in 1940, worked for Statsradiofonien from 1935 to 1950, and was the headmaster of the "Workers' Folk high school" in Roskilde from 1950 to 1957. He entered politics, and was elected to the Folketing as a Social Democrat in 1957. He served as a member of the Council of Europe from 1963 to 1964.
Andersen served as Minister of Education in the Cabinet of Jens Otto Krag from 1964 to 1968. As a Minister of Education, Andersen instated the Higher Preparatory Examination (HF) and abolished corporal punishment in schools, and turned the scrolls of the Icelandic sagas back to Iceland. In 1970, Andersen left the Folketing, but was appointed Foreign Minister under Jens Otto Krag and later Anker Jørgensen, from 1971 to 1973 and again from 1975 to 1978. Andersen was acting Prime Minister when Jens Otto Krag resigned in October 1972, until Anker Jørgensen was appointed new Prime Minister a few days later. By 1973, he had re-entered the Folketing.
As Foreign Minister, Andersen became well known in European foreign affairs circles, and was invited to the Bilderberg Conference. At a NATO council in December 1972, Andersen received heavy criticism from Sir Alec Douglas-Home, William P. Rogers, and NATO's Secretary General, for Denmark's eight percent reduction in their defense budget. This was at a time when the more powerful nations of Europe were calling for an increase in military spending.
Andersen was President of the European Economic Community Council of Ministers in 1978. During this time he was involved in the economic sanctions against South Africa. He ended his tenure in the Folketing in 1981, after serving as its Speaker from 1978 to 1981. He was a critic of Denmark's political system. His belief was that the large number of political parties in Denmark made for political instability and for difficulty in forming coalition governments.
Read more about this topic: K. B. Andersen
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