Danish parliamentary election, 2005
Encyclopedia
Parliamentary elections were held in Denmark
on 8 February 2005. Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen
's Venstre
retained the largest number of seats in parliament. The governing coalition between the Venstre
and the Conservative People's Party
remained intact, with the Danish People's Party
providing the parliamentary support needed for the minority government. The Danish Social Liberal Party
made the biggest gains of any party, although it remains outside the governing group of parties. The election marked the second time in a row that the Social Democrats were not the largest party in the parliament, a change from most of the 20th century. The party lost 5 seats and leader Mogens Lykketoft
resigned immediately after the election.
The prime minister called the elections on 18 January. He claimed that he would have called it earlier, but the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
which killed a number of Danes delayed it. Rasmussen still had almost a year left in his term, but said he wanted to call the election before municipal elections in November. His reasoning was that he wanted a clear mandate for the municipal and county government restructuring that his government was implementing.
From the last election the governing coalition of Venstre and the Conservative People's Party had 94 of the 175 seats together with the supporting Danish People's Party. This number is unchanged after the 2005 election. Voter turnout was 84.5% in Denmark proper, 73.0% in the Faroe Islands
and 59.4% in Greenland
.
63 out of the 179 members of the new folketing are newly elected. Although women make up 38% of the total, several women hold prominent positions, notably Pia Kjærsgaard
, leader of the third largest party, Danish People's Party
. Marianne Jelved
(leader of the Danish Social Liberal Party
), Connie Hedegaard
(Minister of the Environment
), Pernille Rosenkrantz-Theil
(front figure of Enhedslisten) and Helle Thorning-Schmidt
(later elected as leader of Social Democrats) are other important woman in the parliament. A couple of parties, including the Social Democrats are holding leadership races, which may be won by women. 9 of the top 20 candidates, in terms of personal votes, were women.
Following the election, Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen
reformed his liberal-conservative cabinet as the Cabinet of Anders Fogh Rasmussen II
with parliamentary support from Danish People's Party.
, the party of the prime minister, campaigned on their municipal restructuring plan, as well as a continuation of the "tax-freeze" and tight immigration requirements. They also promised to see 60,000 jobs created during a second term.
The largest opposition party, the Social Democrats led by Mogens Lykketoft focused on employment, which they claim has decreased under the current government.
The Danish People's Party
, who support the Venstre-Conservative
coalition, criticized the "tax-freeze" but agreed, conditionally, to support it for another parliamentary term. They also wanted increasingly tough immigration restrictions.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
on 8 February 2005. Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen
Anders Fogh Rasmussen
Anders Fogh Rasmussen is a Danish politician, and the 12th and current Secretary General of NATO. Rasmussen served as Prime Minister of Denmark from 27 November 2001 to 5 April 2009....
's Venstre
Venstre (Denmark)
VenstreThe party name is officially not translated into any other language, but is in English often referred to as the Liberal Party. Similar rules apply for the name of the party's youth wing Venstres Ungdom. , full name Venstre, Danmarks Liberale Parti , is the largest political party in Denmark...
retained the largest number of seats in parliament. The governing coalition between the Venstre
Venstre (Denmark)
VenstreThe party name is officially not translated into any other language, but is in English often referred to as the Liberal Party. Similar rules apply for the name of the party's youth wing Venstres Ungdom. , full name Venstre, Danmarks Liberale Parti , is the largest political party in Denmark...
and the Conservative People's Party
Conservative People's Party (Denmark)
The Conservative People's Party , also known as Conservatives is a Danish political party.-History:The party was founded 1915 based mostly on its predecessor, Højre , but also on the Free Conservatives and a moderate faction of Venstre , the liberals.The party has participated in several coalition...
remained intact, with the Danish People's Party
Danish People's Party
The Danish People's Party is a political party in Denmark which is frequently described as right-wing populist by political scientists and commentators. The party is led by Pia Kjærsgaard...
providing the parliamentary support needed for the minority government. The Danish Social Liberal Party
Det Radikale Venstre
The Danish Social Liberal Party is a social liberal political party in Denmark. The party is a member of Liberal International and the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party.-Origin:...
made the biggest gains of any party, although it remains outside the governing group of parties. The election marked the second time in a row that the Social Democrats were not the largest party in the parliament, a change from most of the 20th century. The party lost 5 seats and leader Mogens Lykketoft
Mogens Lykketoft
Mogens Lykketoft is a Danish politician, former government minister and current Speaker of the Folketing. In December 2002 he succeeded former Danish prime minister Poul Nyrup Rasmussen as leader of the Social Democratic party ....
resigned immediately after the election.
The prime minister called the elections on 18 January. He claimed that he would have called it earlier, but the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea megathrust earthquake that occurred at 00:58:53 UTC on Sunday, December 26, 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The quake itself is known by the scientific community as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake...
which killed a number of Danes delayed it. Rasmussen still had almost a year left in his term, but said he wanted to call the election before municipal elections in November. His reasoning was that he wanted a clear mandate for the municipal and county government restructuring that his government was implementing.
From the last election the governing coalition of Venstre and the Conservative People's Party had 94 of the 175 seats together with the supporting Danish People's Party. This number is unchanged after the 2005 election. Voter turnout was 84.5% in Denmark proper, 73.0% in the Faroe Islands
Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands are an island group situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between Scotland and Iceland. The Faroe Islands are a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, along with Denmark proper and Greenland...
and 59.4% in Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
.
Results
| Denmark | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Votes | % | Seats | +/– |
| Venstre Venstre (Denmark) VenstreThe party name is officially not translated into any other language, but is in English often referred to as the Liberal Party. Similar rules apply for the name of the party's youth wing Venstres Ungdom. , full name Venstre, Danmarks Liberale Parti , is the largest political party in Denmark... |
974,636 | 29.0 | 52 | –4 |
| Social Democratic Party Social Democrats (Denmark) The Social Democrats , is a Danish political party committed to the political ideology of social democracy. It is the major coalition partner in Denmark's government since the 2011 parliamentary election, and party leader Helle Thorning-Schmidt is the current Prime Minister of Denmark... |
867,349 | 25.8 | 47 | –5 |
| Danish People's Party Danish People's Party The Danish People's Party is a political party in Denmark which is frequently described as right-wing populist by political scientists and commentators. The party is led by Pia Kjærsgaard... |
444,947 | 13.3 | 24 | |
| Conservative People's Party Conservative People's Party (Denmark) The Conservative People's Party , also known as Conservatives is a Danish political party.-History:The party was founded 1915 based mostly on its predecessor, Højre , but also on the Free Conservatives and a moderate faction of Venstre , the liberals.The party has participated in several coalition... |
344,886 | 10.3 | 18 | |
| Danish Social Liberal Party | 308,212 | 9.2 | 17 | |
| Socialist People's Party Socialist People's Party (Denmark) The Socialist People's Party is a green and socialist political party in Denmark.-1959–69:The SF was founded on 15 February 1959 by Aksel Larsen, a former leader of the Communist Party of Denmark and CIA agent. Larsen was removed from the ranks of the DKP for his criticism over the Soviet... |
201,047 | 6.0 | 11 | –1 |
| Red-Green Alliance Red-Green Alliance (Denmark) The Red-Green Alliance is a socialist political party in Denmark.- History :The party was formed in 1989 as an electoral alliance by three left-wing parties, Left Socialists , Communist Party of Denmark and Socialist Workers Party... |
114,123 | 3.4 | 6 | |
| Christian People's Party Christian Democrats (Denmark) The Christian Democrats are a political party in Denmark. The party was founded in 1970 to oppose the liberalization of restrictions on pornography and the legalization of abortion.... |
58,071 | 1.7 | 0 | –4 |
| Centre Democrats | 33,880 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Progress Party Progress Party (Denmark) The Progress Party is a political party in Denmark, which was founded in 1972. Its founder, the former lawyer Mogens Glistrup, gained huge popularity in Denmark after he appeared on Danish television, showing that he paid 0 % in income tax... |
58,071 | 1.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Minority Party Minority Party (Denmark) The Minority Party is former a Danish political party that did not gain parliamentary representation.-History:The Minority Party is a Danish political party which was founded in 2000 by a group of minority groups. One of the party's primus motors were Rune Engelbreht Larsen, who was chairman of... |
8,850 | 0.3 | 0 | New |
| Independents | 1,211 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Invalid/blank votes | 27,348 | – | – | – |
| Total | 3,384,560 | 100 | 175 | 0 |
| Faroe Islands | ||||
| Republican Party Republican Party (Faroe Islands) The Republic is a left-wing political party in the Faroe Islands committed to Faroese Independence. It was founded in 1948 as a reaction to independence not being proclaimed after a public vote on the matter showed a significant plurality for it in 1946.In 1998 Høgni Hoydal succeeded Heini O.... |
6,301 | 25.4 | 1 | 0 |
| People's Party People's Party (Faroe Islands) The Faroese People's Party – Radical Self-Government is a liberal conservative political party in the Faroe Islands, led by Jørgen Niclasen. One of the four major parties, it's had eight seats in the Løgting since the 2011 election, making it the joint-largest party, but neither of the Faroes'... |
5,967 | 24.0 | 1 | |
| Social Democratic Party Social Democratic Party (Faroe Islands) The Social Democratic Party is a social-democratic, political party in the Faroe Islands, led by Jóannes Eidesgaard.At the legislative elections, 19 January 2008, the party won 19.3% of the popular vote and 6 out of 32 seats.... |
5,518 | 22.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Union Party | 5,333 | 21.5 | 0 | –1 |
| Centre Party Centre Party (Faroe Islands) The Centre Party is a Christianity-based, agrarian and conservative political party in the Faroe Islands, led by Jenis av Rana.At the 2008 parliamentary election, the party won 8.4% of the popular vote and 3 out of 33 seats... |
829 | 3.3 | 0 | New |
| Self-Government Party | 585 | 2.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Independents | 309 | 1.2 | 0 | New |
| Invalid/blank votes | 94 | – | – | – |
| Total | 24,936 | 100 | 2 | 0 |
| Greenland | ||||
| Forward Forward (Greenland) Forward is a social-democratic political party in Greenland and a consultative member of the Socialist International. It is led by Aleqa Hammond, member of the Greenlandic Parliament, who is the first woman ever to lead the party... |
7,761 | 34.3 | 1 | 0 |
| Inuit Ataqatigiit Inuit Ataqatigiit Inuit Ataqatigiit is a leftist and separatist political party in Greenland. The party was born out of the increased youth radicalism in Denmark during the 1970s. The party strives to make Greenland an independent state.In the 2005 elections, the party won 22.6% of the popular vote and seven out of... |
5,774 | 25.5 | 1 | 0 |
| Democrats Democrats (Greenland) The Democrats are a liberal and social-liberal, political party in Greenland. At the legislative elections on the fifteenth of November 2005, the party won 22.8% of the popular vote, and seven out of 31 seats, rising from 2002 totals of 15.6% of the popular vote and five out of 31 seats... |
4,909 | 21.7 | 0 | New |
| Feeling of Community Feeling of Community Feeling of Community is a centre-right conservative liberal and agrarian political party in Greenland and a partner of the Danish Venstre party. At the last legislative elections, on the fifteenth of November 2005, the party won 19.1% of the popular vote and six out of 31 seats... |
3,374 | 14.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Independents | 841 | 3.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Invalid/blank votes | 457 | – | – | – |
| Total | 23,516 | 100 | 2 | 0 |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver | ||||
63 out of the 179 members of the new folketing are newly elected. Although women make up 38% of the total, several women hold prominent positions, notably Pia Kjærsgaard
Pia Kjærsgaard
Pia Merete Kjærsgaard is a Danish politician. She is a co-founder and current leader of the Danish People's Party, a nativist, national conservative political party in Denmark...
, leader of the third largest party, Danish People's Party
Danish People's Party
The Danish People's Party is a political party in Denmark which is frequently described as right-wing populist by political scientists and commentators. The party is led by Pia Kjærsgaard...
. Marianne Jelved
Marianne Jelved
Marianne Bruus Jelved née Hirsbro is a Danish politician, and is educated as a teacher and in the theory of education...
(leader of the Danish Social Liberal Party
Det Radikale Venstre
The Danish Social Liberal Party is a social liberal political party in Denmark. The party is a member of Liberal International and the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party.-Origin:...
), Connie Hedegaard
Connie Hedegaard
Connie Hedegaard is a Danish politician and public intellectual who has been European Commissioner for Climate Action in the European Commission since 10 February 2010....
(Minister of the Environment
Minister for the Environment (Denmark)
Minister for the Environment of Denmark is the politically appointed head of the Danish Ministry of the Environment, and a member of the Cabinet...
), Pernille Rosenkrantz-Theil
Pernille Rosenkrantz-Theil
Pernille Rosenkrantz-Theil is a former member of Folketinget for the Red-Green Alliance.-Politics and political career:...
(front figure of Enhedslisten) and Helle Thorning-Schmidt
Helle Thorning-Schmidt
Helle Thorning-Schmidt is a Danish politician and the current Prime Minister of Denmark. She has been leader of the Danish Social Democrats since April 2005 and prime minister since October 2011....
(later elected as leader of Social Democrats) are other important woman in the parliament. A couple of parties, including the Social Democrats are holding leadership races, which may be won by women. 9 of the top 20 candidates, in terms of personal votes, were women.
Following the election, Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen
Anders Fogh Rasmussen
Anders Fogh Rasmussen is a Danish politician, and the 12th and current Secretary General of NATO. Rasmussen served as Prime Minister of Denmark from 27 November 2001 to 5 April 2009....
reformed his liberal-conservative cabinet as the Cabinet of Anders Fogh Rasmussen II
Cabinet of Anders Fogh Rasmussen II
Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen retained his parliamentary support in the 2005 Danish parliamentary election, and was able to continue as head of his government. On 18 February 2005, he presented his updated cabinet, the Cabinet of Anders Fogh Rasmussen II...
with parliamentary support from Danish People's Party.
Platforms
VenstreVenstre (Denmark)
VenstreThe party name is officially not translated into any other language, but is in English often referred to as the Liberal Party. Similar rules apply for the name of the party's youth wing Venstres Ungdom. , full name Venstre, Danmarks Liberale Parti , is the largest political party in Denmark...
, the party of the prime minister, campaigned on their municipal restructuring plan, as well as a continuation of the "tax-freeze" and tight immigration requirements. They also promised to see 60,000 jobs created during a second term.
The largest opposition party, the Social Democrats led by Mogens Lykketoft focused on employment, which they claim has decreased under the current government.
The Danish People's Party
Danish People's Party
The Danish People's Party is a political party in Denmark which is frequently described as right-wing populist by political scientists and commentators. The party is led by Pia Kjærsgaard...
, who support the Venstre-Conservative
Conservative People's Party (Denmark)
The Conservative People's Party , also known as Conservatives is a Danish political party.-History:The party was founded 1915 based mostly on its predecessor, Højre , but also on the Free Conservatives and a moderate faction of Venstre , the liberals.The party has participated in several coalition...
coalition, criticized the "tax-freeze" but agreed, conditionally, to support it for another parliamentary term. They also wanted increasingly tough immigration restrictions.