Esben Lunde Larsen
{{Expand Danish|date=August 2024}}
Esben Lunde Larsen (born November 14, 1978) is a former Danish politician. He was a member of the Folketing (the Danish Parliament) for the Venstre party in the Ringkøbing district of the West Jutland constituency from the 2011 parliamentary election until October 1, 2018. From June 18, 2015, to January 29, 2016, he served as the Minister for Higher Education and Science.{{Cite web |date= |title=Danmark har fået en ny regering - Venstre |url=http://www.venstre.dk/nyheder/danmark-har-faaet-en-ny-regering |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150701010513/http://www.venstre.dk/nyheder/danmark-har-faaet-en-ny-regering |archive-date=2015-07-01 |access-date=2024-08-29 |website=venstre.dk}}{{Cite web |last=Jørgenssen |first=Steen A. |date=2015-06-28 |title=Her er hele Lars Løkkes ministerhold |url=https://jyllands-posten.dk/politik/ECE7834142/Her-er-hele-Lars-L%C3%B8kkes-ministerhold/ |access-date=2024-08-29 |website=Jyllands-Posten |language=da}} Afterward, he was the Minister for the Environment and Food until May 2, 2018, when he resigned as minister following involvement in several unfortunate cases.
File:Esben Lunde Larsen met with Acting Deputy Agriculture Secretary Michael Scuse.jpg
In July 2018, he announced that he would leave the Folketing to work for the American organization World Resources Institute in Washington, D.C.{{Cite web |date=2018-07-18 |title=Nu smutter Esben Lunde fra Folketinget: Forlader Danmark |url=https://ekstrabladet.dk/nyheder/politik/danskpolitik/nu-smutter-esben-lunde-fra-folketinget-forlader-danmark/7238676 |access-date=2024-08-29 |website=ekstrabladet.dk |language=da}}{{Cite web |last=Mortensen |first=Af Mikkel Walentin |date=2018-07-29 |title=Ministeren med møgsagerne drager til USA {{!}} jv.dk |url=https://jv.dk/navne/ministeren-med-moegsagerne-drager-til-usa |access-date=2024-08-29 |website=jv.dk |language=da}} In 2021, he was promoted from being a fellow at WRI to a newly created position as Director of Faith and Sustainability.{{Cite web |date=2021-07-24 |title=Tidligere Venstreminister er blevet forfremmet i Washington |url=https://www.berlingske.dk/politik/tidligere-venstreminister-er-blevet-forfremmet-i-washington |access-date=2024-08-29 |website=Berlingske.dk |language=da}}
Political career
Lunde Larsen joined the youth wing of the Venstre party, Venstres Ungdom, in 1995.{{Cite web |date=2012-12-27 |title=’Jeg er jo ikke to mennesker’ |url=https://www.information.dk/indland/2012/12/to-mennesker |access-date=2024-08-29 |website=Information |language=da}} He was elected to the municipal council for Ringkøbing-Skjern Municipality in 2006 and became deputy mayor in 2010. In the council, Lunde Larsen served as chairman of the Knowledge Committee and vice-chairman of the Finance and Business Committee.{{Cite web |date= |title=Esben Lunde Larsen / Folketinget |url=https://www.ft.dk/medlemmer/mf/e/esben-lunde-larsen |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200305123932/https://www.ft.dk/medlemmer/mf/e/esben-lunde-larsen |archive-date=2020-03-05 |access-date=2024-08-29 |website=ft.dk}}
In the 2011 parliamentary election, Lunde Larsen was elected to the Folketing with 10,183 personal votes.{{Cite web |date= |title=Valgte kandidater og stedfortrædere - Folketingsvalg torsdag 15. september 2011 - Danmarks Statistik |url=http://www.dst.dk/valg/Valg1204271/kandstat/kandstat.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131014031316/http://www.dst.dk/valg/Valg1204271/kandstat/kandstat.htm |archive-date=2013-10-14 |access-date=2024-08-29 |website=dst.dk}} After the election, he became a member of Venstre's group board and was appointed as Venstre's spokesperson for Research, Innovation, and Higher Education, as well as spokesperson for the State Educational Grant (SU).