Anders Fogh Rasmussen

His parents ran a farm. After graduating from high school in 1972, Rasmussen studied economics in Aarhus until 1978, where he received a master's degree. As a student he became interested in politics. In 1973 he joined the state board of Venstre, the Liberal Party, where he initially served until 1978. From 1974 to 1976, Rasmussen also served as state chairman of the Young Liberals. From 1978 to 1987 he worked as an economic advisor for the Danish Association of Medium and Small Industrial Enterprises. At the same time, Rasmussen was elected to the Folketing, the Danish parliament, for the first time in the fall of 1978. From 1984, Rasmussen was again a member of the Venstre state board, and he was promoted to deputy party chairman a year later. In the Folketing he was a member of the Venstre parliamentary group leadership from 1984 to 1987. In 1987, Rasmussen joined Poul Schlüter's government as Minister for Taxes, in which he also took over the office of Minister for Economic Affai