KEMESRAAN BARACK OBAMA DENGAN PM DENMARK

Barack Obama 'selfie': who is Helle Thorning-Schmidt?

Danish prime minister becomes internet sensation after taking “selfie” photograph with Barack Obama and David Cameron at the Nelson Mandela memorial

Michelle Obama looks away as (L-R) British Prime Minister David Cameron, Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt and US President Barack Obama take a selfie Photo: ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP

By Natasha Clark, and Josie Ensor

1:27PM GMT 11 Dec 2013

Helle Thorning-Schmidt, the Danish prime minister, has become an internet sensation after she took a ‘selfie’ of herself with President Barack Obama and David Cameron at the Nelson Mandela memorial on Tuesday.

The trio were pictured leaning in to Mrs Thorning-Schmidt’s smartphone to take a photograph shortly after Mr Obama delivered his rousing speech to the FNB stadium in Soweto.

Mr Cameron later explained why he chose to lean in for a snap with the pair, telling his MPs: “When a member of the Kinnock family asked me for a photograph, I thought it was only polite to say yes.”

Mrs Thorning-Schmidt spoke to Danish Berlingske newspaper to defend her actions, saying: “The atmosphere was of course melancholic, but ultimately it was a celebration of a man who lived to be 95 years old, and who managed to accomplish so much in his life.

“There was dancing on the stands and singing and dancing, so the mood was positive. And then we took a really fun selfie."
She added: “Lots of photos were taken that day. Lots of photos were taken of Obama, and I think it was just a little fun. It also shows that even when leaders meet, we are also normal people who have a good time together.”
Mrs Thorning-Schmidt won the 2011 election, becoming the first woman to have held the role.
The 46-year-old, who leads the Social Democrat government, is married to Stephen Kinnock - son of ex-Labour leader, Neil Kinnock.
She leads a coalition of the Social Democrats, (her own party) the Socialist People’s Party and the Danish Social Liberal Party.
Prior to her appointment of leader of the Social Democratic Party, she served in the European Parliament from 1999 to 2004.
She has met Mr Obama on a number of occasions, including a visit to the White House in 2012. In September, Mr Obama met her during a visit to Stockholm.

_{Helle Thorning-Schmidt after her election victory}

Dubbed by one of her colleagues as "Gucci Helle" for her taste for designer clothes, she has faced criticism over her stylish appearance.

She once responded at a party meeting "We can't all look like s---."

At the age of 26, she joined the Social Democrat party, after completing a degree in political science from the University of Copenhagen and working as a consultant for the Danish Confederation of Trade Unions.

She met husband Stephen while she was studying at the European College in Bruges. They wed in 2006 and have two daughters together. The couple were investigated in 2010 over allegations of tax avoidance. They were both later cleared