Erling Olsen is a Danish economist and politician. He studied at the University of Copenhagen where he also taught for many years. Between 1970 and 1973, he was the Founding Rector of Roskilde University. He also served as a member of the Danish Parliament (Folketinget) in 1964-66, 1971-73 and 1975-98, and was the Minister of Housing from 1978-83, Minister of Justice from 1993-94 and Speaker of the Folketing from 1994-98.
Erling Olsen was a member of the Convention that drafted the EU’s Charter on fundamental rights (1999-2000). He served as the acting Secretary General of International IDEA (Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance) between 2001-02 and has been a member of the Board of Governors of the University of the Arctic since 2001.