Minke Selengborg
The Honourable Minke Selengborg | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Prime Minister of Vyvland | |
| In office 12 November 2005 – 3 November 2009 | |
| Preceded by | Rikard Fegaad |
| Succeeded by | Vren Dens |
| Energy Minister | |
| In office 3 November 1996 – 30 April 1998 | |
| Preceded by | Laarens Gindler |
| Succeeded by | Rikard Ryseerm |
| Shadow Energy Minister | |
| In office 30 April 1998 – 2 July 2005 | |
| Preceded by | Simon Gelen |
| Succeeded by | Alecanjre Enjraas |
| Member of Parliament for Olsence South, SW | |
| Assumed office 1 February 1991 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 200px 5 August 1958 (age 55) Lyksdal, Stanmer |
| Died | 200px |
| Resting place | 200px |
| Nationality | Vyvlander |
| Political party | Socialist Party |
| Parent |
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| Alma mater | Lyksdal-Mejro University |
Minke Selengborg (pronounced /'miŋ.kə 'zel.əŋˌboːʝ/) was the seventh Prime Minister of Vyvland, serving from 2005 to 2009. She was the second Socialist and second female Prime Minister of Vyvland. She led a Socialist-Green-Communist-Helish People's Party coalition from after the 2009 election to a harsh defeat, with her party coming in third place and losing over a third of its votes and seats. She has been described as being on the 'old socialist' wing of the party, with left-wing views on trade unions, nationalisation and tax. However, she was able to capitalise on a populist attitude and manifesto, in addition to good public speaking skills, especially compared to opposition candidates.
Early life
Minke was brought up into a middle class family, in which she was the second child of three, in industrial Lyksdal in 1958. Her parents, however, had come from a working class family, and were relatively politically involved on a local level; both became independent socialist city councillors for their borough of Synt-Piter, while both also participated in the Stanmer Unrest in 1968. As such, she held radical beliefs for most of her formative years and joined the Marxist Society at Lyksdal-Mejro University, where she studied for a degree in geography. However, Selengborg's views moderated over the coming years, and she entered Parliament as a member of the social democratic Socialist Party in a 1991 by-election, representing the safe seat of Olsence South in Southwest province.
Political career
After five years in Parliament, Selengborg was appointed to the position of Energy Minister by the then-Prime Minister Anhelm Ferog in a grand coalition between the Socialists and KDC, and then in the following coalition with the Liberal Party. During this time, she bought government stakes in energy companies such VyGas, Dasser and Vengk, and fully nationalised ailing oil company Vyvluder Ol. She then acted as shadow Energy Minister under the next two governments, seeing many of her procured assets being privatised again.
In 2005, Selengborg was announced as the Socialist candidate for Prime Minister in the upcoming election, which she won due to dissatisfction with the incumbent Conservative-Liberal coalition. Presiding over the largest election victory for the Socialist Party in unified Vyvland, Selengborg was able to form a left-wing government without the aid of the Liberals, which before the election was viewed as highly unlikely if not impossible. However, this meant compromising with the Greens, Communist Party and Helish People's Party, and as such her coalition became unstable, which was heightened by the government's divided response to the recognition of Roubao after the 2007 Roubanese independence referendum. However, Selengborg's government pushed through some social reforms (often with the support of the Liberal Party) including lowering the voting age from 18 to 16 and decriminalising the personal use of cannabis.
Despite these difficulties, the coalition remained intact for the full four year term, although perceived inaction in government lost the 2009 election for the coalition, with much support going to the Liberals. The 2009 election campaign was also hindered by stories of Selengborg's grandfather, who was convicted of murdering two prostitutes on separate occasions in 1902.
Selengborg resigned as Socialist leader in 2010, leading to an election in which Jes Delmeer took the party leadership. However, she still represents her constituency of Olsence South, despite her narrow victory in 2009 in what is traditionally a very safe Socialist seat - the seat has not changed hands since its establishment in 1992.
Political views
During her time in power, Selengborg implemented policies such as a carbon tax and tax increases for higher bands. She is also an outspoken supporter of feminism, saying in the run-up to the 2005 election that 'no woman can respect herself and not be a feminist'. Hailing from Lyksdal, Selengborg has described herself as 'strongly anti-Vlud and everything that goes with it'; during her time in office, the capital of Vyvland was moved to Lorence, while some of the controversial Vlud Laws, exempting the financial sector in Vlud from various taxes and regulations, were repealed.