Torben Lund Torben Lund Torben Lund (born November 6, 1950 in Vejle) is a Danish politician, who served in the Folketing from 1981 to 1998 and in the European Parliament from 1999 to 2004. He was associated with the Danish Social Democrats in Denmark, and the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament. While sitting in the Folketing, he was one of the sponsors of the 1989 legislation that first legalized registered partnership for same-sex couples. He served as Health Minister in the Poul Nyrup Rasmussen I Cabinet from 1993 to 1994. He came out as gay in 1998,
Folketing had equal power, the terms "upper house" and "lower house" were not generally used. The difference between the houses was voter representation. The Folketing was elected by common vote among men and consisted mainly of independent farmers, traders, and merchants as well as the educated classes. From 1866 to 1915 the right of vote for the Landsting was restricted to the wealthiest, and some of its members were appointed by the king, thus it predominantly represented the landed gentry and other conservatives. From 1915 both men and women had the right of vote for both houses, and also the Landsting