Advertisement

Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt

  • Denmark's Prime Minister Helle Thorning Schmidt (R) is welcomed by European Council President Herman Van Rompuy (L) at a European Union leaders summit in Brussels October 24, 2013. German and French accusations that the United States has run spying operations in their countries, including possibly bugging Chancellor Angela Merkel's mobile phone, are likely to dominate a meeting of EU leaders starting on Thursday. The two-day Brussels summit, called to tackle a range of social and economic issues, will now be overshadowed by debate on how to respond to the alleged espionage by Washington against two of its closest European Union allies. REUTERS/Yves Herman (BELGIUM - Tags: POLITICS)
    1/7

    Denmark's Prime Minister Schmidt is welcomed by European Council President Van Rompuy at a European Union leaders summit in Brussels

    Denmark's Prime Minister Helle Thorning Schmidt (R) is welcomed by European Council President Herman Van Rompuy (L) at a European Union leaders summit in Brussels October 24, 2013. German and French accusations that the United States has run spying operations in their countries, including possibly bugging Chancellor Angela Merkel's mobile phone, are likely to dominate a meeting of EU leaders starting on Thursday. The two-day Brussels summit, called to tackle a range of social and economic issues, will now be overshadowed by debate on how to respond to the alleged espionage by Washington against two of its closest European Union allies. REUTERS/Yves Herman (BELGIUM - Tags: POLITICS)
    REUTERS
  • Denmark's Prime Minister Helle Thorning Schmidt arrives at an European Union leaders summit in Brussels October 24, 2013. German and French accusations that the United States has run spying operations in their countries, including possibly bugging Chancellor Angela Merkel's mobile phone, are likely to dominate a meeting of EU leaders starting on Thursday. The two-day Brussels summit, called to tackle a range of social and economic issues, will now be overshadowed by debate on how to respond to the alleged espionage by Washington against two of its closest European Union allies. REUTERS/Laurent Dubrule (BELGIUM - Tags: POLITICS)
    2/7

    Denmark's PM Thorning Schmidt arrives at an European Union leaders summit in Brussels

    Denmark's Prime Minister Helle Thorning Schmidt arrives at an European Union leaders summit in Brussels October 24, 2013. German and French accusations that the United States has run spying operations in their countries, including possibly bugging Chancellor Angela Merkel's mobile phone, are likely to dominate a meeting of EU leaders starting on Thursday. The two-day Brussels summit, called to tackle a range of social and economic issues, will now be overshadowed by debate on how to respond to the alleged espionage by Washington against two of its closest European Union allies. REUTERS/Laurent Dubrule (BELGIUM - Tags: POLITICS)
    REUTERS
  • Prime Minister of Denmark Helle Thorning-Schmidt arrives for the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize ceremony at City Hall in Oslo December 10, 2012. The European Union received the Nobel Peace Prize on Monday, an award which some past winners called unjustified but European leaders defended for recognising the stability and democracy brought to the continent after two world wars. REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett
    3/7

    Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt

    Prime Minister of Denmark Helle Thorning-Schmidt arrives for the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize ceremony at City Hall in Oslo December 10, 2012. The European Union received the Nobel Peace Prize on Monday, an award which some past winners called unjustified but European leaders defended for recognising the stability and democracy brought to the continent after two world wars. REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett
    REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett
  • Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt (L-R), Finnish President Sauli Niinisto, U.S. President Barack Obama, Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, Norway Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg and Iceland Prime Minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson attend a dinner in Stockholm, September 4, 2013. REUTERS/Claudio Bresciani/Scanpix Sweden (SWEDEN - Tags: POLITICS) ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. IT IS DISTRIBUTED, EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS. SWEDEN OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN SWEDEN. NO COMMERCIAL SALES
    4/7

    U.S. President Barack Obama poses for a photo with leaders of Nordic countries at a dinner in Stockholm

    Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt (L-R), Finnish President Sauli Niinisto, U.S. President Barack Obama, Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, Norway Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg and Iceland Prime Minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson attend a dinner in Stockholm, September 4, 2013. REUTERS/Claudio Bresciani/Scanpix Sweden (SWEDEN - Tags: POLITICS) ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. IT IS DISTRIBUTED, EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS. SWEDEN OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN SWEDEN. NO COMMERCIAL SALES
    REUTERS
  • (From L to R) European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, Denmark's Prime Minister Helle Thorning Schmidt, European Council President Herman Van Rompuy and Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron attend a European Union leaders summit in Brussels October 25, 2013. German Chancellor Angela Merkel demanded on Thursday that the United States strike a "no-spying" agreement with Berlin and Paris by the end of the year, saying alleged espionage against two of Washington's closest EU allies had to be stopped. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir (BELGIUM - Tags: POLITICS)
    5/7

    EU foreign policy chief Ashton, Denmark's PM Thorning Schmidt, European Council President Van Rompuy and Britain's PM Cameron attend an EU leaders summit in Brussels

    (From L to R) European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, Denmark's Prime Minister Helle Thorning Schmidt, European Council President Herman Van Rompuy and Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron attend a European Union leaders summit in Brussels October 25, 2013. German Chancellor Angela Merkel demanded on Thursday that the United States strike a "no-spying" agreement with Berlin and Paris by the end of the year, saying alleged espionage against two of Washington's closest EU allies had to be stopped. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir (BELGIUM - Tags: POLITICS)
    REUTERS
  • French President Francois Hollande (L) and Labour minister Michel Sapin (R) welcome Denmark's Prime Minister Helle Thorning Schmidt as she arrives at the Elysee Palace in Paris, November 12, 2013, to attend an international summit on youth unemployment attended by heads of states from EU countries. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer (FRANCE - Tags: POLITICS BUSINESS EMPLOYMENT)
    6/7

    French President Francois Hollande welcomes Denmark's Prime Minister Helle Thorning Schmidt as he arrives at the Elysee Palace in Paris

    French President Francois Hollande (L) and Labour minister Michel Sapin (R) welcome Denmark's Prime Minister Helle Thorning Schmidt as she arrives at the Elysee Palace in Paris, November 12, 2013, to attend an international summit on youth unemployment attended by heads of states from EU countries. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer (FRANCE - Tags: POLITICS BUSINESS EMPLOYMENT)
    REUTERS
  • German Chancellor Angela Merkel (C) greets Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt (R) as Austrian Labour Minister Rudolf Hundstorfer (L) looks on prior to an international summit on youth unemployment in the European Union at the Elysee Palace in Paris November 12, 2013. Soaring youth unemployment will top the agenda when France hosts a European jobs summit on Tuesday, but leaders will eschew radical proposals to tackle a problem that risks fuelling social unrest and political extremism. REUTERS/Michel Euler/Pool (FRANCE - Tags: POLITICS BUSINESS EMPLOYMENT)
    7/7

    German Chancellor Merkel greets Danish Prime Minister Thorning-Schmidt prior to an international summit on youth unemployment in the European Union at the Elysee Palace in Paris

    German Chancellor Angela Merkel (C) greets Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt (R) as Austrian Labour Minister Rudolf Hundstorfer (L) looks on prior to an international summit on youth unemployment in the European Union at the Elysee Palace in Paris November 12, 2013. Soaring youth unemployment will top the agenda when France hosts a European jobs summit on Tuesday, but leaders will eschew radical proposals to tackle a problem that risks fuelling social unrest and political extremism. REUTERS/Michel Euler/Pool (FRANCE - Tags: POLITICS BUSINESS EMPLOYMENT)
    REUTERS
Denmark's Prime Minister Helle Thorning Schmidt (R) is welcomed by European Council President Herman Van Rompuy (L) at a European Union leaders summit in Brussels October 24, 2013. German and French accusations that the United States has run spying operations in their countries, including possibly bugging Chancellor Angela Merkel's mobile phone, are likely to dominate a meeting of EU leaders starting on Thursday. The two-day Brussels summit, called to tackle a range of social and economic issues, will now be overshadowed by debate on how to respond to the alleged espionage by Washington against two of its closest European Union allies. REUTERS/Yves Herman (BELGIUM - Tags: POLITICS)
Denmark's Prime Minister Helle Thorning Schmidt arrives at an European Union leaders summit in Brussels October 24, 2013. German and French accusations that the United States has run spying operations in their countries, including possibly bugging Chancellor Angela Merkel's mobile phone, are likely to dominate a meeting of EU leaders starting on Thursday. The two-day Brussels summit, called to tackle a range of social and economic issues, will now be overshadowed by debate on how to respond to the alleged espionage by Washington against two of its closest European Union allies. REUTERS/Laurent Dubrule (BELGIUM - Tags: POLITICS)
Prime Minister of Denmark Helle Thorning-Schmidt arrives for the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize ceremony at City Hall in Oslo December 10, 2012. The European Union received the Nobel Peace Prize on Monday, an award which some past winners called unjustified but European leaders defended for recognising the stability and democracy brought to the continent after two world wars. REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett
Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt (L-R), Finnish President Sauli Niinisto, U.S. President Barack Obama, Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, Norway Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg and Iceland Prime Minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson attend a dinner in Stockholm, September 4, 2013. REUTERS/Claudio Bresciani/Scanpix Sweden (SWEDEN - Tags: POLITICS) ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. IT IS DISTRIBUTED, EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS. SWEDEN OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN SWEDEN. NO COMMERCIAL SALES
(From L to R) European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, Denmark's Prime Minister Helle Thorning Schmidt, European Council President Herman Van Rompuy and Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron attend a European Union leaders summit in Brussels October 25, 2013. German Chancellor Angela Merkel demanded on Thursday that the United States strike a "no-spying" agreement with Berlin and Paris by the end of the year, saying alleged espionage against two of Washington's closest EU allies had to be stopped. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir (BELGIUM - Tags: POLITICS)
French President Francois Hollande (L) and Labour minister Michel Sapin (R) welcome Denmark's Prime Minister Helle Thorning Schmidt as she arrives at the Elysee Palace in Paris, November 12, 2013, to attend an international summit on youth unemployment attended by heads of states from EU countries. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer (FRANCE - Tags: POLITICS BUSINESS EMPLOYMENT)
German Chancellor Angela Merkel (C) greets Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt (R) as Austrian Labour Minister Rudolf Hundstorfer (L) looks on prior to an international summit on youth unemployment in the European Union at the Elysee Palace in Paris November 12, 2013. Soaring youth unemployment will top the agenda when France hosts a European jobs summit on Tuesday, but leaders will eschew radical proposals to tackle a problem that risks fuelling social unrest and political extremism. REUTERS/Michel Euler/Pool (FRANCE - Tags: POLITICS BUSINESS EMPLOYMENT)
Updated

Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt alienated her center-left voters when she started cutting one of Europe's most generous welfare systems shortly after she was elected.

Two years later there are signs the reforms by "Gucci Helle" - as the elegantly-dressed leader is known to critics - are paying dividends and her popularity has rebounded. (Reuters)