Mogens Lykketoft

Mogens Lykketoft (Danish pronunciation: [ˈmɔʊ̯əns ˈløɡ̊əˌtˢʌfd̥]; born 9 January 1946) is a Danish politician and a leading figure in the Social Democratic Party.

In December 2002 he succeeded Poul Nyrup Rasmussen as party leader of the Social Democrats (Socialdemokraterne). After losing the 2005 Danish parliamentary election he resigned as leader of his party. In the Cabinets of Poul Nyrup Rasmussen I, II, III and IV which governed from 1993 to 2001, he held positions as Finance Minister and Foreign Minister. During the cabinet of Helle Thorning Schmidt from 2011 to 2015 he was Speaker of the Folketing (Danish Parliament).

In June 2015 he was unanimously elected the President of the United Nations General Assembly presiding over the 70th session of the General Assembly beginning 15 September 2015.

Personal life

Lykketoft was born out of wedlock and put up for adoption. He was adopted twice, since his first adoptive father died when he was only a few months old. The second time he was adopted by shopkeeper Axel Lykketoft and Martha Lykketoft. He was the only child in the family and had, according to himself, a safe and secure childhood.