Succeeded by Thorkild Simonsen Role Journalist Nationality Danish Party Social Democrats | Political party Social Democrats Children Jakob Weiss, Lars Weiss Name Birte Weiss | |
Born 1 May 1941 (age 82) ( 1941-05-01 ) | ||
Birte Weiss (born 1 May 1941) is a Danish journalist and social democrat politician, who served in various capacities in the government of Denmark.
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Early life and education
Weiss was born on 1 May 1941. She was trained as a journalist with the social democrat press from 1960 to 1963. Later she attended the University of Copenhagen and studied there comparative literature.
Career
Weiss began her career as a journalist, working for Demokraten and then for Information. Later she joined politics and became a member of the Danish parliament for the social democrats for two terms; from 1971 to 1973 and from 1975 to 2001. She was the chairperson of the council of Denmark’s Radio/TV from 1981 yo 1986. She served as the deputy chairperson of the social democrats from 1994 to 1996 and first vice-chairperson of the Folketing from 1998 to 1999.
She assumed varied cabinet positions. Her first ministerial post was the minister of interior and she served from 1993 to 1997. She resigned from office on 20 October and Thorkild Simonsen succeeded her in the post. She was also the minister of church affairs and was in office from 1994 to 1996. She was appointed minister of health in 1996 and her tenure lasted until 1998. Lastly she served as the minister of research and information technology from 1999 to 2001.
Activities
When she was the interior minister Weiss delivered a bill in 1996, stating that a foreigner, who is guilty of drug-related crime, should be deported from Denmark. A documentary, En minister krydser sit spor (A Minister Backtracks), filmed by Danish director Ulrik Holmstrup in 2000 is about the activities of Weiss as interior minister. It narrates the dilemma she faced in dealing with Bosnian refugees in the country.
Personal life
Weiss is married and has two sons.