Frit Forum
Encyclopedia
Frit Forum - Social Democratic Students of Denmark is the student organization of the Danish Social Democrats.
It was established in 1943 during the Nazi occupation of Denmark
, as a means of reaching out to the growing number of student
s in the labour movement
. Since then it has had a decisive impact on Danish politics, fostering many leader
s and influential Social Democrats.
Both present PES
-president
, Poul Nyrup Rasmussen
, present Danish
frontrunner to the European Parliament
Dan Jørgensen
, and former Minister
of Finance
, Mogens Lykketoft
, began their path in Frit Forum. It compares to the Labour Students
in the UK.
After peaking in the 1950s
and 60s
it was struck by the radicalization
of the political left among Danish students. As in Germany
and Sweden
several members left for radical movements on the left, but in opposition to the SDS
or the S-studenter, Frit Forum survived. Primarily as a result of being merged with the social democratic youth organization DSU
in 1973.
In 2003 this caused a conflict within the organization, as the DSU felt Frit Forum was not fulfilling its obligations at the universities. Instead they threatened to launch a new social democratic Student network, called SSN. Following devastating internal disputes it was saved by the president of the Danish Social Democrats, Mogens Lykketoft
, himself being former president of Frit Forum.
Since then the climate between the two organizations has bettered. During the years Frit Forum has held meeting
s and conference
s with both the Labour Students
and S-studenter.
Sources (in Danish):
It was established in 1943 during the Nazi occupation of Denmark
Occupation of Denmark
Nazi Germany's occupation of Denmark began with Operation Weserübung on 9 April 1940, and lasted until German forces withdrew at the end of World War II following their surrender to the Allies on 5 May 1945. Contrary to the situation in other countries under German occupation, most Danish...
, as a means of reaching out to the growing number of student
Student
A student is a learner, or someone who attends an educational institution. In some nations, the English term is reserved for those who attend university, while a schoolchild under the age of eighteen is called a pupil in English...
s in the labour movement
Labour movement
The term labour movement or labor movement is a broad term for the development of a collective organization of working people, to campaign in their own interest for better treatment from their employers and governments, in particular through the implementation of specific laws governing labour...
. Since then it has had a decisive impact on Danish politics, fostering many leader
Leader
A leader is one who influences or leads others.Leader may also refer to:- Newspapers :* Leading article, a piece of writing intended to promote an opinion, also called an editorial* The Leader , published 1909–1967...
s and influential Social Democrats.
Both present PES
Party of European Socialists
The Party of European Socialists is a European political party led by Sergei Stanishev, former Prime Minister of Bulgaria. The PES comprises social-democratic national-level political parties primarily from Member state of the European Union, as well as other nations of the European continent. The...
-president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
, Poul Nyrup Rasmussen
Poul Nyrup Rasmussen
Poul Nyrup Rasmussen , informally Poul Nyrup, born 15 June 1943), was Prime Minister of Denmark from 25 January 1993 to 27 November 2001 and is currently President of the Party of European Socialists . He was the leader of the governing Social Democrats from 1992 to 2002...
, present Danish
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...
frontrunner to the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
Dan Jørgensen
Dan Jørgensen
Dan Jørgensen is a Danish politician and Member of the European Parliament for the Social Democrats, part of the Party of European Socialists...
, and former Minister
Minister (government)
A minister is a politician who holds significant public office in a national or regional government. Senior ministers are members of the cabinet....
of Finance
Finance
"Finance" is often defined simply as the management of money or “funds” management Modern finance, however, is a family of business activity that includes the origination, marketing, and management of cash and money surrogates through a variety of capital accounts, instruments, and markets created...
, 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 ....
, began their path in Frit Forum. It compares to the Labour Students
Labour Students
Labour Students is a student organisation affiliated to the British Labour Party.Membership comprises affiliated college and university clubs . Membership of Labour Students is through membership of a university or college Labour Club. Affiliation is open to any Labour Club generally supportive of...
in the UK.
After peaking in the 1950s
1950s
The 1950s or The Fifties was the decade that began on January 1, 1950 and ended on December 31, 1959. The decade was the sixth decade of the 20th century...
and 60s
60s
-Significant people:* Boudicca, rebellious British queen* Gaius Suetonius Paulinus, Roman general* Julius Civilis, leader of the Batavian rebellion against the Romans...
it was struck by the radicalization
Radicalization
Radicalization is the process in which an individual changes from passiveness or activism to become more revolutionary, militant or extremist. Radicalization is often associated with youth, adversity, alienation, social exclusion, poverty, or the perception of injustice to self or others.-...
of the political left among Danish students. As in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
several members left for radical movements on the left, but in opposition to the SDS
SDS
-Science:* Safety data sheet or material safety data sheet, a form with data regarding the properties of a particular substance* Satellite Data System, a system of United States military communications satellites....
or the S-studenter, Frit Forum survived. Primarily as a result of being merged with the social democratic youth organization DSU
DSU
-Education:*Dakota State University*Dalhousie Student Union*Delaware State University*Delta State University*Durham Students' Union*Denver State University-Technology:*Data service unit - a WAN equivalent of a network interface card...
in 1973.
In 2003 this caused a conflict within the organization, as the DSU felt Frit Forum was not fulfilling its obligations at the universities. Instead they threatened to launch a new social democratic Student network, called SSN. Following devastating internal disputes it was saved by the president of the Danish Social Democrats, 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 ....
, himself being former president of Frit Forum.
Since then the climate between the two organizations has bettered. During the years Frit Forum has held meeting
Meeting
In a meeting, two or more people come together to discuss one or more topics, often in a formal setting.- Definitions :An act or process of coming together as an assembly for a common purpose....
s and conference
Wiktionary
Wiktionary is a multilingual, web-based project to create a free content dictionary, available in 158 languages...
s with both the Labour Students
Labour Students
Labour Students is a student organisation affiliated to the British Labour Party.Membership comprises affiliated college and university clubs . Membership of Labour Students is through membership of a university or college Labour Club. Affiliation is open to any Labour Club generally supportive of...
and S-studenter.
See also
- 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...
- List of political parties in Denmark
- Social Democratic Youth of DenmarkSocial Democratic Youth of DenmarkThe Danmarks Socialdemokratiske Ungdom is the youth organisation of the Danish Social Democrats.- History :The Social Democratic Youth movement of Denmark was established in 1920 after a break-up of the former youth organisation, the Social Democratic Youth League...
External links
Sources (in English):- http://fritforum.dk/index.php?id=279 Official homepage of Frit Forum in English.
- http://www.nyrup.dk/nyrup/underside.asp?MIId=127 Background information on Poul Nyrup.
- http://www.pes.org/content/view/14 PES information about Frit Forum.
Sources (in Danish):
- http://fritforum.dk/ Official homepage of Frit Forum in Danish
- http://www.information.dk/print/117863 Article on Mogens Lykketoft in Information.
- http://socialdemokraterne.dk/print.aspx?site=gl%2Faalborg&func=article.view&id=207014 Background information on Danish Social Democratic leaders.