Danish parliamentary election, 2007 - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The 66th Folketing
Folketing
The Folketing , is the national parliament of Denmark. The name literally means "People's thing"—that is, the people's governing assembly. It is located in Christiansborg Palace, on the islet of Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen....

election in Denmark

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...

was held on 13 November 2007. The election allowed prime minister

Prime Minister of Denmark

The Prime Minister of Denmark is the head of government in Danish politics. The Prime Minister is traditionally the leader of a political coalition in the Folketing and presides over the cabinet....

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....

to continue for a third term in a coalition government consisting of the Liberals

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...

with parliamentary support from 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...

Results

1
Party		Leader	Votes	%	Seats	+/–
Denmark 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...
	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...	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....	908,472	26.2	46	–6
	Social Democrats 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...	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....	881,037	25.5	45	–2
	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...	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...	479,532	13.9	25
	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...	Villy Søvndal Villy Søvndal Villy Søvndal is a Danish politician and Minister for Foreign Affairs in the government of Denmark since October 2011. Søvndal, a member of the Danish Parliament since 1994, is also leader of the Socialist People's Party....	450,975	13.0	23
	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...	Bendt Bendtsen Bendt Bendtsen Bendt Bendtsen is a Danish Member of the European Parliament. He was the leader of the Conservative People's Party from 1999 to 2008. He was the Minister of Trade and Industry from 2001 to 2008 under Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen....	359,404	10.4	18	0
	Danish Social Liberal Party	Margrethe Vestager Margrethe Vestager Margrethe Vestager is a Danish politician representing Det Radikale Venstre. She has been a Member of Parliament since 20 November 2001. On 15 June 2007 she was appointed parliamentary group leader of her party, replacing Marianne Jelved....	177,161	5.1	9	–8
	New Alliance	Naser Khader Naser Khader Naser Khader is Danish-Syrian and a former member of the Parliament of Denmark for the Conservative Party. As a member of Parliament, he has represented both Social Liberal Party and Liberal Alliance, the latter as founding leader, until January 5, 2009...	97,295	2.8	5	New
	Red-Green Alliance	Collective leadership	74,982	2.2	4	–2
	Christian Democrats 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....	Bodil Kornbek Bodil Kornbek Bodil Holmgren Kornbek is a Danish politician who on 2 October 2008 became a member of the Social Democrats . Before that she was leader of the Christian Democrats. She was a Member of Parliament from 2001 to 2005 and was elected as party Chairman in 2005.-References: - From Folketinget....	30,013	0.9	0	0
	Independents		549	0.0	0	0
Invalid/blank votes			24,113	–	–	–
Total			3,483,533	100	175	0
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...
	Republic 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....	Høgni Hoydal Høgni Hoydal Høgni Karsten Hoydal , commonly called Høgni Hoydal, is a Faroese politician currently serving as member of the Faroese Parliament, and formerly a member of the Danish Parliament.- Before taking office :...	5,849	25.4	1	0
	Union Party	Kaj Leo Johannesen Kaj Leo Johannesen - Handball Player for Kyndil :Kaj Leo Johannesen is not only a former football player, he is also a former handball player. He played 163 matches for Kyndil and scored 625 goals for the club.- Extern Links :* , The Prime Minister of the Faroe Islands* * * *...	5,414	23.5	1
	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'...	Jørgen Niclasen Jørgen Niclasen Jørgen Niclasen is a Faroese politician. He has been the leader of the Faroese People's Party since 2007.On 2 October 2008, he was officially appointed Kaj Leo Johannesen's Deputy Prime Minister....	4,728	20.5	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....	Jóannes Eidesgaard Jóannes Eidesgaard Jóannes Dan Eidesgaard is the Finance Minister of the Faroe Islands. He has held the position since 26 September 2008. He previously served as Prime Minister of the Faeroe Islands from 3 February 2004, shortly after the general election of 20 January 2004, until 26 September 2008, when a new...	4,702	20.4	0	0
	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...	Álvur Kirke	1,573	6.8	0	0
	Self-Government Party	Kári P. Højgaard Kári P. Højgaard Kári Páll Højgaard is the current head of the Faroese Independence Party and President of the West Nordic Council....	799	3.5	0	0
Invalid/blank votes			149	–	–	–
Total			23,214	100	2	0
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...
	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...	Josef Motzfeldt Josef Motzfeldt Josef Motzfeldt is a Greenland politician and serves as Minister for Finance and Foreign Affairs in the Greenland Homerule Gorvernment.He is the current president of the West Nordic Council....	8,068	32.5	1	0
	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...	Hans Enoksen Hans Enoksen Hans Enoksen is a Greenlandic politician who served as the fourth Prime Minister of Greenland from 2002 to 2009.A Greenlandic monoglot, he has been a member of the Parliament of Greenland since 1995...	8,068	32.5	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...	Per Berthelsen	4,584	18.5	0	0
	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...	Finn Karlsen	4,094	16.5	0	0
Invalid/blank votes			500	–	–	–
Total			25,589	100	2	0
Source: Nohen & Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook

Party Political party A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...	% of votes	MPs Member of Parliament A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...	swing Swing (politics) An electoral swing analysis shows the extent of change in voter support from one election to another. It is an indicator of voter support for individual candidates or political parties, or voter preference between two or more candidates or parties...	% of MPs	MPs %/votes %
Total	100	179	0	100	1.00
3 biggest	65.6	116	7	64.8	0.99
The cabinet Executive (government) Executive branch of Government is the part of government that has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the idea of the separation of powers.In many countries, the term...	50.5	90	5	50.3	0.98
The opposition Opposition (parliamentary) Parliamentary opposition is a form of political opposition to a designated government, particularly in a Westminster-based parliamentary system. Note that this article uses the term government as it is used in Parliamentary systems, i.e. meaning the administration or the cabinet rather than the state...	49.5	89	5	49.7	1.02

The 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...

had the election's largest gain, securing 23 seats in the new parliament compared to 11 in the 2005 elections

Danish parliamentary election, 2005

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...

. 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...

gained one additional seat, leaving it at 25. The New Alliance

New Alliance (Denmark)

The Liberal Alliance is a classical liberal political party in Denmark. Founded in 2007 as the New Alliance , the party was the first new major Danish political party in a decade...

secured five seats in its first election, a result lower than projected in earlier opinion polls.

The biggest setback was suffered by the Danish Social Liberal Party which was reduced from 17 seats to 9. The Liberals

Venstre (Denmark)

lost six seats leaving it at 46, and the party remains the biggest party for the third consecutive election. The Social Democrats lost two seats, leaving it at 45. The Red-Green Alliance lost two seats leaving it at four seats, just above the 2% threshold

Election threshold

In party-list proportional representation systems, an election threshold is a clause that stipulates that a party must receive a minimum percentage of votes, either nationally or within a particular district, to obtain any seats in the parliament...

.

The Conservative People's Party

Conservative People's Party (Denmark)

ensured marginal gains, but no additional seats, leaving it at 18 seats. The Christian Democrats did not ensure representation.

Greenland's vote resulted in one seat for Siumut

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...

and one for 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...

. The Faroe Islands returned Høgni Hoydal

Høgni Hoydal

Høgni Karsten Hoydal , commonly called Høgni Hoydal, is a Faroese politician currently serving as member of the Faroese Parliament, and formerly a member of the Danish Parliament.- Before taking office :...

representing the 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....

, its second seat went to the Union Party, a seat gained from the 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'...

which did not achieve representation.

Rasmussen cabinet continues

The Danish parliament has 179 seats. Four seats are reserved for 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 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...

, Denmark's overseas territories. Under the Danish system of "negative parliamentarism," the governing cabinet must hold the opposition short of a parliamentary majority, i.e. make certain it never has 90 seats against it.

The ruling Liberal

Venstre (Denmark)

-Conservative

Conservative People's Party (Denmark)

coalition secured 64 seats. The support of 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...

(DPP), with 25 seats, left the coalition needing one more seat. Finally, the coalition-friendly Union Party of former Faroese prime minister Edmund Joensen

Edmund Joensen

Edmund Esbern Johannes Joensen was born in the small village of Oyri on the second largest island of the Faroe Islands, Eysturoy....

won the needed seat in the Faroese elections.

Parties backing 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....

, in opposition, won 84 seats. (This includes remaining three seats of the overseas territories.)

The New Alliance

New Alliance (Denmark)

The Liberal Alliance is a classical liberal political party in Denmark. Founded in 2007 as the New Alliance , the party was the first new major Danish political party in a decade...

won the remaining five (5) seats.

Prime minister 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....

announced that the party composition of cabinet would remain as before, but that parties not in cabinet that support his premiership will have influence over policy. This statement apparently was aimed at the New Alliance. Rasmussen's capacity to accommodate both the New Alliance and the Danish People's Party going forward is not assured – the New Alliance was established, in part, to limit the Danish Peoples's Party's influence. With the DPP in coalition, Rasmussen is able to govern: a New Alliance-supported opposition would be short of a majority by one vote. Edmund Joensen's pledge to abstain on matters related to internal affairs of Denmarkand would alter this, giving the New Alliance the balance of power and risking conflict with the DPP, but Joensen has also pledged that if doing so would risk giving the opposition a majority, he would not abstain, but instead vote with the government.

As after the last election, where Rasmussen also secured continuing power, there were some shuffling of minister posts in the cabinet. The resulting Cabinet of Anders Fogh Rasmussen III

Cabinet of Anders Fogh Rasmussen III

The third Cabinet of Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen was announced on November 23, 2007.-Changes from the Cabinet of Anders Fogh Rasmussen II:...

was presented a few days after the election.

Central themes in the election

Several topics have been mentioned as central to the election. These include welfare, taxes, immigration, and the health system. The election also clears the Rasmussen government from having a potentially unpopular parliamentary debate on the European Union

European Union

The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...

Treaty of Lisbon

The Treaty of Lisbon of 1668 was a peace treaty between Portugal and Spain, concluded at Lisbon on 13 February 1668, through the mediation of England, in which Spain recognized the sovereignty of Portugal's new ruling dynasty, the House of Braganza....

, as it will become a topic in the election instead.

Coalitions

According to the Constitution of Denmark

Constitution of Denmark

The Constitutional Act of Denmark is the Kingdom of Denmark's constitution, or fundamental law. Originally verified in 1849, the last revision was signed on 5 June 1953 as "the existing law, for all to unswerving comply with, the Constitutional Act of Denmark".-Idea and structure:The main...

, Denmark is governed according to the principle of negative parliamentarism, meaning that while a government doesn't need the majority of seats in parliament, it must never have a majority of seats against it in a vote of no confidence. Before the ongoing elections, this was relevant since the government, consisting of the Conservative People's Party

Conservative People's Party (Denmark)

and the Liberals

Venstre (Denmark)

did not have a majority of seats, but depended on the support of 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...

. Early opinion polls showed that neither a right-wing or a left-wing government could gather enough seats to be in government without the support of the newly established New Alliance

New Alliance (Denmark)

The Liberal Alliance is a classical liberal political party in Denmark. Founded in 2007 as the New Alliance , the party was the first new major Danish political party in a decade...

. This caused a lot of interest, since New Alliance had stated that they would first give the government the opportunity to propose a programme for government, but that they would not definitely support a right-wing government prior to seeing how many of their political agendas they could work together on. Many people were unsure how this would be possible, since New Alliance was originally formed to limit the influence of the Danish People's Party, without whom a right-wing government did not seem possible in opinion polls. After the elections, however, it was clear that New Alliance did not get enough seats in parliament to break the previous right-wing majority.

The opposition

Shortly after the elections were called, the 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:...

stated that they supported a government led by the Social Democrats

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...

. The Red-Green Alliance support a left-wing government almost by default. The Socialist People's Party

Socialist People's Party (Denmark)

also support a left-wing government, and have stated that they wish to not only support such a government but to be a part of it. In spite of a dramatic increase in support of the Socialist People's Party in opinion polls, these four parties never stood to get enough seats in parliament to head a government. Consequently, prior to the election, 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....

(the leader of the Social Democrats) invited both New Alliance and the Conservative People's Party

Conservative People's Party (Denmark)

to participate in a centre-left government, but both parties have refused.

Early election

Danish prime minister

Prime Minister of Denmark

The Prime Minister of Denmark is the head of government in Danish politics. The Prime Minister is traditionally the leader of a political coalition in the Folketing and presides over the cabinet....

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....

announced this election date on 24 October 2007. The election was held ahead of time in the sense that by law, the election needed to be held before 8 February 2009, four years after the previous election.

Anders Fogh Rasmussen explained that the elections were called early in order to allow the parliament to work on important upcoming topics without being distracted by a future election. Referring specifically to welfare reform, he said rival parties would then try to outdo each other with expensive reforms which would damage the Danish economy.

Parties that had previously declared their intention to run

The Centre Democrats lacked about 2,000 - 3,000 of the required 20,000 signatures in order to run in the 2007 election when Anders Fogh Rasmussen called it on 24 October, meaning that they won't be able to run. The Liberalists

Liberalisterne

Liberalisterne – Frihed og Velstand was a Danish political party based on classic liberalist ideology. Among its main goals were the introduction of a flat tax, opposition to recent anti-terror laws, and a general cut in public spending. The party was founded in 2005, and Torben Mark Pedersen...

had reached 5,000 signatures. The Danish Ministry of Welfare has registered more than 70 parties that had not handed in the required number of signatures.

External resources

NSD: European Election Database - Denmark publishes regional level election data; allows for comparisons of election results, 1990-2007

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