POLITICS OF DENMARK

Benedict (Viktor) Gombocz

Geography of Denmark Location: Northern Europe, bordering the

Baltic Sea and the North Sea, on a peninsula north of Germany (Jutland); also comprises several big islands (Sjaelland, Fyn, and Bornholm)

Area Total: 43,094 sq km Country comparison to the world: 134 Land: 42,434 sq km Water: 660 sq km (note: includes the

island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea and the rest of metropolitan Denmark- the Jutland Peninsula, and the big islands of Sjaelland and Fyn), but not the Faroe Islands and Greenland

Area – comparative: Slightly less than twice the size of Massachusetts

Land boundaries Total: 68 km

Border countries: Germany 68 km

Coastline: 7,314 km

Physical Map of Denmark

Religion in Denmark

Christianity (specifically the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Denmark, the state religion) is, of all the religions practiced in Denmark, the most notable.

Nonetheless, bits of practically all faiths can be spotted among the population.

Islam, owing to immigration to Denmark in the 1980s and 1990s, is the second biggest religion.

On the whole, in contrast, Danes are secular; church turnout is usually low.

Religion statistics

Evangelical Lutheran (official): 95% Other Christian (includes Protestant and Roman

Catholic): 3% Muslim: 2%

Mosque in Denmark

Background of Denmark’s political system

The political system of Denmark functions in the structure of a parliamentary, representative democracy.

The Kingdom of Denmark is a constitutional monarchy, where the Monarch (currently Queen Margrethe II) serves as head of state.

The Cabinet government (regeringen), supervised by the PM (statsminister), who is first among equals (Primus inter pares), exercises executive power.

Legislative power is vested in both the executive and the national parliament (Folketinget).

The Judiciary, officially nominated by the monarch and employed until retirement, is independent.

Background of Denmark’s political system – cont.

Denmark has a multi-party structure, with two or three strong parties, and four or five other important parties.

No one party has had an absolute majority in the Folketing since the early 20th century; no one party has created a government by itself since 1982.

Because only four post-war coalition governments have enjoyed a majority, government bills seldom become law without negotiations and cooperation with both government and opposition parties; thus the Folketing is often more powerful than legislatures in other EU states.

The constitution does not allow the judiciary power of judicial review of legislation, but the courts have claimed this power with the permission of the other branches of government.

As there are no constitutional or administrative courts in Denmark, the Supreme Court handles a constitutional aspect.

Background of Denmark’s political system – cont.

On a lot of issues, the political parties frequently opt in for a co-operation; the Danish state welfare model is granted a large parliamentary endorsement.

This guarantees a close look on public-sector effectiveness as well as devolved obligations of local government on regional and municipal levels.

The extent of precision and liability is reflected in the public’s high level of approval with the political institutions.

On a regular basis, international organizations rank Denmark one of the three least corrupt countries in the world, tied with New Zealand and Finland.

Government of Denmark

Capital (and largest city): Copenhagen

Official language(s): Danish Recognized regional

language(s): Faroese, Greenlandic, German

Demonym: Danish, Dane Government: Unitary

parliamentary constitutional monarchy

Monarch: Margrethe II Prime Minister: Helle Thorning-

Schmidt Speaker of the Folketing:

Mogens Lykketoft Legislature: Folketing

Parties represented in the Folketing or the European Parliament

Venstre (Venstre, Danmarks liberale parti; Left, Denmark’s Liberal Party)

Social Democrats (Socialdemokraterne)

Danish People’s Party (Dansk Folkeparti)

Socialist People’s Party (Socialistisk Folkeparti)

Conservative People’s Party (Det Konservative Folkeparti)

Danish Social Liberal Party (Det Radikale Venstre; Radical Left)

Red-Green Alliance (Enhedslisten) Liberal Alliance (Liberal Alliance) People’s Movement against the EU

(Folkebevægelsen mod EU)

Margrethe II Born 16 April 1940 at the Amalienborg

Palace in Copenhagen.

Queen regnant of the Kingdom of Denmark.

As the oldest child of King Frederick IX and Ingrid of Sweden, she succeeded her father when he died on 14 January 1972; upon her accession, she became Denmark’s first female monarch since Margrethe I, ruler of the Scandinavian countries from 1375-1412 during the Kalmar Union.

Was born in 1940, even though she did not become heiress presumptive until 1953, when a constitutional modification permitted women to take over the throne (after it became apparent that King Fredrick was implausible to have any male issue).

Married Henri de Laborde de Monpezat in 1967; they have three sons: Crown Prince Fredrick (born 1968) and Prince Joachim (born 1969).

Helle Thorning-Schmidt Born 14 December 1966 in Rødovre. PM of Denmark since 3 October 2011

and leader of the Social Democrats since 12 April 2005; is the first woman to hold either position.

Was previously an MEP for Denmark between 1999-2004 prior to her election to the Danish Parliament in 2005; was elected to replace Mogens Lykketoft as leader of the Social Democrats following the 2005 parliamentary election.

Led her party through the subsequent 2007 parliamentary election, which the centre-right alliance claimed victory in, and the 2011 parliamentary election, after which she was named PM by Queen Margrethe II.

Holds degrees in political science from the University of Copenhagen and the College of Europe.

Mogens Lykketoft Born 9 January 1946 in Copenhagen.

Ex-government minister and current Speaker of the Folketing; assumed office on 16 September 2011 after the 2011 Danish parliamentary election the preceding day.

Succeeded ex-Danish PM Poul Nyrup Rasmussen as leader of the Social Democratic party in December 2002.

Held posts as Finance Minister (25 January 1993-21 December 2000) and Foreign Minister (21 December 2000-27 November 2001) in the cabinets of Poul Nyrup Rasmussen I, II, III and IV (which governed from 1993-2001).

Resigned as leader of the Social Democratic party following that party’s defeat in the 2005 Danish parliamentary election.

Is the son of paint dealer Axel Lykketoft and Martha Lykketoft.

Holds a degree in economics from the University of Copenhagen (1971).

Was Minister for Taxation from 20 January 1981-10 September 1982.

Has served the posts, within his party, of Foreign Policy Spokesman from 2005, chairman of his party (2002-2005), economic and political affairs spokesman and finance policy spokesman (1988-1991), and political spokesman twice (1991-1993 and 2001-2002); has been a member of various bodies such as the Income Tax Committee (1975-1977), the Board of Assessors twice (1976-1981 and 1984-1993), chairman of the Folketing’s Fiscal Affairs Committee (1984-1986), the Folketing’s Trade and Industry Committee (1987-1988), and of the Folketing’s Economic and Political Affairs Committee (1988-1990).

Was also head of department at the Economic Council of the Labour Movement (1975-1981).

Venstre Conservative-liberal political party in Denmark.

Founded as part of a peasants movement in opposition to the landed aristocracy; advocates an economic liberal pro-free market ideology in the modern day, is Denmark’s major centre-right party, and its biggest party.

Previously ruled in coalition with the Conservative People’s Party, with backing from the Danish People’s Party.

Won 26.7% of the vote, and 47/179 seats, in the 2011 parliamentary elections; is currently led by Lars Løkke Rasmussen, who took over as both party leader and PM from Anders Fogh Rasmussen (with whom he has no relation; Rasmussen is a common name in Denmark) in 2009.

Is a liberal party within the Nordic agrarian ritual, although today it is prominently more pro-free market than its sister parties.

Some classify Venstre as classical liberal, because Anders Fogh Rasmussen, its leader from 1998-2009, is acknowledged for his authorship of the book From Social State to Minimal State (Fra socialstat til minimalstat); that book spoke in favor of an extensive change of the Danish welfare state on classical liberal lines, such as lower taxes and less government intervention in corporate and individual issues.

In subsequent years, Anders Fogh Ramussen has abanodoned his earlier views, calling liberalism an out-of-date idealogy.

Member of Liberal International (International affiliation) and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party (European affiliation).

Three MEPs from Denmark are members of Venstre; they sit alongside the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe group in the EP.

Social Democrats Danish political party devoted to the political ideology

of social democracy.

Has been the senior coalition partner in government since the 2011 parliamentary election, with party leader Helle Thorning-Schmidt as PM.

Is the second-biggest party in the Folketing; has 44/179 seats.

Founded by Louis Pio in 1871; first entered the Folketing in 1884.

By the early 20th century, it became the party with the biggest representation in the Folketing, a distinction it went on to hold for 77 years.

First created a government in 1924, under Thorvald Stauning, the longest-serving Danish PM of the 20th century.

Put forth a profound effect on Danish society under Stauning’s government, bringing about the establishment of the Danish welfare state.

Member of Socialist International (International affiliation), Party of European Socialists (European affiliation), and Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (EP group); the Social Democrats have four MEPs in the EP, an increase of three after the 2004 election.

Gained an additional MEP in March 2013: Emilie Turunen left the Socialist People’s Party in favor of Social Democrats.

Copenhagen

The End (Enden)