Lasse Haugaard Pedersen

Lasse Haugaard Pedersen (born 6 June 1995) is a Danish politician and member of the Folketing, the national legislature. A Social Democrat, he has represented Funen since December 2024.^[1]

Pedersen was born on 6 June 1995 in Odense.^[1][2] His father is a fisherman and his mother is a teacher.^[3] His parents divorced when he was eight years old.^[3] He grew up in Bogense and was educated at Nordfyns Gymnasium in Søndersø.^[2][4] He was a school friend of Thomas Skriver Jensen.^[3]

Pedersen has a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Southern Denmark (2018) ands a master's degree in political science from Aarhus University (2021).^[4][5][6] He was an executive committee member of the Social Democratic Youth of Denmark (DSU) and has been vice-chairman of the Danish Youth Council since 2023.^[4][5][6] He was a consultant for the Danish Electrical Association trade union from 2020 to 2024.^[4][5][6]

Pedersen played an active role in several election campaigns by Dan Jørgensen.^[3] It was Jørgensen who encouraged 17 year-old Pedersen to contest the 2013 local election.^[3] Pedersen was a member of the municipal council in Nordfyn Municipality from 2013 to 2017.^[2][4] He did not seek re-election at the 2017 local elections in order to pursue his studies.^[7] He contested the 2022 general election as a Social Democrat candidate in Funen but was not elected.^[6] He was a temporary substitute member of the Folketing for Jørgensen between October and November 2024.^[1] He became a permanent member in December 2024 following Jørgensen's appointment to the European Commission.^[1][6]

Pedersen has a son born in December 2024.^[8]