Elections in Denmark
Encyclopedia
Elections in Denmark gives information on election
s and election results in Denmark
. Denmark has a multi-party system. Elections normally result in two strong parties
.
Denmark elects a legislature
on a national level. The Danish Parliament
(Folketinget) has 179 members elected for maximum four year terms. 135 of them are elected by proportional representation
in ten constituencies and forty supplementary seats are allotted so as to make for overall proportionality (using the Hare quota
largest remainder method
). To get a share of supplementary seats a party needs to get at least 2% of the total number of votes. The Faroe Islands
and Greenland
directly elect two members each.
The most recent legislative elections were held on Thursday, 15 September 2011. Since the next election is required, according to the Constitution of Denmark
, to take place no later than four years following the previous election, the latest possible date is 14 September 2015.
Election
An election is a formal decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy operates since the 17th century. Elections may fill offices in the legislature, sometimes in the...
s and election results in Denmark
Politics of Denmark
The Politics of Denmark takes place in a framework of a parliamentary, representative democratic, constitutional monarchy, in which the Prime Minister is the head of government, and of a multi-party system...
. Denmark has a multi-party system. Elections normally result in two strong parties
Political Parties
Political Parties: A Sociological Study of the Oligarchical Tendencies of Modern Democracy is a book by sociologist Robert Michels, published in 1911 , and first introducing the concept of iron law of oligarchy...
.
Denmark elects a legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
on a national level. The Danish Parliament
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....
(Folketinget) has 179 members elected for maximum four year terms. 135 of them are elected by proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
in ten constituencies and forty supplementary seats are allotted so as to make for overall proportionality (using the Hare quota
Hare quota
The Hare quota is a formula used under some forms of the Single Transferable Vote system and the largest remainder method of party-list proportional representation...
largest remainder method
Largest remainder method
The largest remainder method is one way of allocating seats proportionally for representative assemblies with party list voting systems...
). To get a share of supplementary seats a party needs to get at least 2% of the total number of votes. 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...
directly elect two members each.
The most recent legislative elections were held on Thursday, 15 September 2011. Since the next election is required, 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...
, to take place no later than four years following the previous election, the latest possible date is 14 September 2015.
Latest elections
See also
- Cabinets of Denmark
- Electoral calendar
- Electoral system
- Politics of DenmarkPolitics of DenmarkThe Politics of Denmark takes place in a framework of a parliamentary, representative democratic, constitutional monarchy, in which the Prime Minister is the head of government, and of a multi-party system...
- Faroe election resultsElections in the Faroe IslandsThe Faroe Islands elects on national level a legislature. The Faroese Parliament has up to 33 members of parliament, elected for a four year term by proportional representation...
- Greenland election resultsElections in GreenlandElections in Greenland have been taking place since 1979. Greenland elects on national level a legislature. The Diet has 31 members, elected for a four year term by proportional representation....
External links
- Adam Carr's Election Archive
- Political parties and elections
- NSD: European Election Database - Denmark publishes regional level election data; allows for comparisons of election results, 1990-2007