At the
parliamentary election on 15 September 2011, the governing
Liberal Party remained the single largest party with the addition of one seat while the Social Democrats lost a seat. However, a three-party coalition of opposition parties together with the supporting
Red-Green Alliance won a larger share of seats than the incumbent
Liberal-
Conservative government and their supporting parties the
Liberal Alliance and
Danish People's Party. Prime Minister
Lars Løkke Rasmussen then tendered the cabinet's resignation to
Queen Margrethe II on 16 September, following which she met with the leaders of all parties. She then tasked Social Democrat Helle Thorning-Schmidt with negotiating the formation of a new government. Rasmussen's cabinet remained in office as a
caretaker government until 3 October, when Thorning-Schmidt's cabinet was sworn in making her the first female
Prime Minister. The
Social Liberal Party and the
Socialist People's Party also became part of the three-party government. It was the first time the Socialist People's Party joined a government since its foundation in 1959. == List of ministers and portfolios ==