Bjørn Westh (born 1944) is a Danish politician from the Social Democrats. He held several cabinet posts in the 1980s and 1990s.
Early life and education
Westh was born in Overlade Parish on 2 February 1944, and his parents are Hans Rømer Westh, a headmaster, and Ingrid Westh, a kindergarten teacher. [1] [2]
In 1969 Westh received a degree in land inspection from the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University. [3] During his studies he was close to Liberal Centre, but when the party was closed Westh joined the Social Democrats. [3]
Career
Following graduation Westh worked as an assistant land surveyor in a town planning company in Viborg from 1972 to 1981. [3]
Westh was first elected to the Danish Parliament for the Social Democrats representing Viborg County on 15 February 1977. [2] He served as a temporary deputy between 1998 and 2004. He held various ministerial posts in the period 1981–1998: minister of agriculture (20 January 1981–10 September 1982; 25 January 1993–27 September 1994); minister of fisheries (25 January 1993–27 September 1994); minister of justice (27 September 1994–30 December 1996) and minister of transport (30 December 1996–23 March 1998). [2]
Westh replaced Kent Kirk as minister of fisheries in January 1993. [4] Westh's successor as minister of fisheries was Henrik Dam Kristensen who was appointed to the post in September 1994. [4]
From 1999 to 2002 Westh was the European Union adviser to the Lithuanian Ministry of Agriculture. [3] Until 2006 he was a member of Viborg County Council. [3] Westh also ran for the office in the local elections for the Social Democrats in 2017, but he did not win the seat. [1]
Personal life
Westh married Grete Laustsen, a ceramicist, in Skals on 28 December 1967. [3]
References
- ^ a b "Bjørn Westh fylder 75 år: Landinspektøren, der blev Nyrups syndebuk". Århus Stiftstidende (in Danish). 2 February 2019. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
- ^ a b c "Bjørn Westh (S)" (in Danish). Folketinget. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f "Bjørn Westh" (in Danish). Dansk Biografisk Leksikon. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
- ^ a b Troels Jacob Hegland; Jesper Raakjær (2008). "Implementation Politics: The Case of Denmark Under the Common Fisheries Policy". In Stig S. Gezelius; Jesper Raakjær (eds.). Making Fisheries Management Work. Implementation of Policies for Sustainable Fishing. Dordrecht: Springer. p. 190. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4020-8628-1_6. ISBN 978-1-4020-8628-1.