The Speaker of the Danish Parliament and former Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Finance Mogens Lykketoft is in New York at present where he was presented as the Danish candidate for the post of President of the General Assembly of the United Nations for the period September 2015 – September 2016.

Mogens Lykketoft said in this connection:

"It will be important for Denmark if we can obtain the presidency of the General Assembly and an exciting challenge for me if I am chosen to take on this post. But it means that a majority of the Western European group, who will elect a President for the year from September 2015 to September 2016, must support the Danish candidacy. The opinion at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is that we stand a good chance by nominating a candidate at this early stage. Where the general rules are concerned, Denmark is one of the few countries that can come into consideration because the countries that have already held the post and the permanent members of the Security Council are not candidates.

I will not be electioneering – this will be the responsibility of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in relation to the other countries.

This means that the candidacy will not in any way affect the performance of my duties as Speaker. I will be standing for re-election when the next general election is held, but will apply for leave of absence from Parliament if there is support for Denmark’s candidacy in 2015-2016."