Marianne Jelved of the Social Liberals is to take over the culture portfolio following Uffe Elbæks resignation yesterday.

Elbæk decided to resign following several days of intense controversy and criticism surrounding his role in connection with funds to a circus school at which his partner works and where he was previously board chairman.

“This afternoon I have taken the difficult but correct decision and have informed the prime minister that I would like to resign as Culture Minister,” Elbaek said yesterday in the wake of a Parliamentary Culture Committee meeting on Tuesday during which he was grilled on appropriations to the Academy for Untamed Creativity (AFUK). A National Auditor investigation is to look into the issue.

The choice of Marianne Jelved to take over from Elbæk brings one of Parliament’s most experienced politicians back into government. Jelved is a former leader of the Social Liberal Party, her party’s Group Chair and member of the parliamentary Presidium. She was Economy Minister for eight years under the coalition cabinet of former Social Democratic Prime Minister Poul Nyrup Rasmussen.

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