June Movement
Encyclopedia
The June Movement was a Danish
eurosceptic
political organisation founded 23 August 1992. It took its name from the referendum on the Maastricht Treaty
that took place in Denmark in June of that year. The movement was a member of the European political party
EUDemocrats
- Alliance for a Europe of Democracies.
The June Movement acknowledged Denmark's membership of the European Union
, but opposed the process of tighter European integration including the Lisbon Treaty, and in general the movement wanted the EU to deal with only cross-border issues such as environmental and trade policies. The movement participated in elections for the European Parliament
, but neither in local elections nor in elections for the Parliament of Denmark.
In 2009 the movement lost its representation in the European Parliament and disbanded on 5 September 2009.
. The three original spokespersons were Drude Dahlerup and Niels I. Meyer (originally from the initiative Danmark 92) and Jens-Peter Bonde
(originally from the People's Movement against the EU
).
) decided to represent the June Movement for the rest of the election term. Besides members of Danmark 92 and the People's Movement, the June Movement also attracted a significant number of members who previously had not been politically active and among established parties across the spectrum. The movement attracted activists from the now-defunct youth organization Unge Mod Unionen, including former candidates for the European Parliament and board members.
The movement recommended a 'no' vote at the EU referendums in 1993, 1998 and 2000.
, was re-elected.
The movement recommended rejecting the European constitution as they considered it to be undemocratic and to introduce too much central control. However, the European constitution was passed in the Danish Parliament without a referendum.
In May 2008 Jens-Peter Bonde
resigned from the European Parliament, succeeded by Hanne Dahl
. Jens-Peter Bonde is not a leading member of the June Movement any more, instead working as an adviser for the cross-European Libertas Party.
.
The June Movements did not want Denmark to leave the EU, but proposed a "slimmer and better EU". In general the movement wanted the EU to deal with only cross-border issues such as environmental and trade policies. Nature sustainability
, human and animal health should have higher priority than capital movements and free market issues. The movement demanded transparency and control of the EU's use of money. It proposed a reversed form of the EU's principle of subsidiarity
, meaning that it wanted the EU to handle issues only when ordered to do so by the member countries. The movement also wanted the EU to skip interference into areas which were covered by other international organisations, such as human rights, defence and security politics.
One proposal for democratic reform of the EU was to let the European commissioners be elected nationally, by the electorate. This was meant to offer more debate on EU legislation as well as to bring in more democracy to the EU.
The movement was strongly against the Lisbon Treaty, and former MEP Jens-Peter Bonde
was known as an outspoken
critic of the treaty in the European Parliament.
Hanne Dahl
as well as chairman Keld Albrechtsen among others.
, which in Denmark is typically associated with summer and the month of June.
.
In the European Parliament the June Movement participated in the Independence/Democracy group. In 2005 some prominent members of the June Movement decided to leave the organisation because they disagreed with certain conservative or traditionalist parties which participated in the Independence and Democracy group. Since then, the Lega Nord and most MEPs of the League of Polish Families
also left the Independence/Democracy group. The group did not survive the 2009 elections.
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...
eurosceptic
EuroSceptic
EuroSceptic is the second album of British singer Jack Lucien. It was released in October 2009.Due to being an album influenced by Europop, it features songs with parts in different languages...
political organisation founded 23 August 1992. It took its name from the referendum on the Maastricht Treaty
Danish Maastricht Treaty referendum, 1992
A referendum on the Maastricht Treaty was held in Denmark on 2 June 1992. It was rejected by 50.7% of voters with a turnout of 83.1%. The rejection was considered somewhat of a blow to the process of European integration, although the process continued...
that took place in Denmark in June of that year. The movement was a member of the European political party
European political party
A European political party, formally a political party at European level, informally a Europarty, is a type of political party organization operating transnationally in Europe and in the institutions of the European Union. They are regulated and funded by the European Union and are usually made up...
EUDemocrats
EUDemocrats
The EUDemocrats – Alliance for a Europe of Democracies – is a eurorealist alliance of parties and movements from 15 European countries. It operates as a transnational party at a European level , according to Regulation No 2004/2003...
- Alliance for a Europe of Democracies.
The June Movement acknowledged Denmark's membership of 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...
, but opposed the process of tighter European integration including the Lisbon Treaty, and in general the movement wanted the EU to deal with only cross-border issues such as environmental and trade policies. The movement participated in elections for 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...
, but neither in local elections nor in elections for the Parliament of Denmark.
In 2009 the movement lost its representation in the European Parliament and disbanded on 5 September 2009.
History
The June Movement was founded at a conference at Christiansborg on 23 August 1992. Its immediate predecessors were Danmark 92 and a group of members of People's Movement against the EUPeople's Movement against the EU
The People's Movement against the EU is a political association in Denmark against the European Union. It was founded in 1972 as a cross-party campaign platform for a 'no' vote in Denmark's referendum on EEC membership...
. The three original spokespersons were Drude Dahlerup and Niels I. Meyer (originally from the initiative Danmark 92) and Jens-Peter Bonde
Jens-Peter Bonde
Jens-Peter Rossen Bonde is a former Member of the European Parliament with the June Movement. He resigned as an MEP in May 2008. Bonde was elected to the European Parliament in the first election in 1979 with the People's Movement against the EU. He has been re-elected 6 times consecutively...
(originally from the People's Movement against the EU
People's Movement against the EU
The People's Movement against the EU is a political association in Denmark against the European Union. It was founded in 1972 as a cross-party campaign platform for a 'no' vote in Denmark's referendum on EEC membership...
).
MEPs split from the People's Movement
At the end of 1992, three of the four representatives of the People's Movement in the European Parliament (Jens-Peter Bonde, Birgit Bjørnvig og Ulla SandbækUlla Sandbæk
Ulla Margrethe Sandbæk is a former Danish Member of the European Parliament for the June Movement.She served from 1994 to 2004. She was responsible for the Sandbæk report that resulted in a European Union regulation increasing funding for the United Nations Population Fund, which controversially...
) decided to represent the June Movement for the rest of the election term. Besides members of Danmark 92 and the People's Movement, the June Movement also attracted a significant number of members who previously had not been politically active and among established parties across the spectrum. The movement attracted activists from the now-defunct youth organization Unge Mod Unionen, including former candidates for the European Parliament and board members.
The movement recommended a 'no' vote at the EU referendums in 1993, 1998 and 2000.
1999-2008 representation
Between 1999 and 2004, they held three of the sixteen Danish seats in the European Parliament. By the 2004 elections only one MEP, Jens-Peter BondeJens-Peter Bonde
Jens-Peter Rossen Bonde is a former Member of the European Parliament with the June Movement. He resigned as an MEP in May 2008. Bonde was elected to the European Parliament in the first election in 1979 with the People's Movement against the EU. He has been re-elected 6 times consecutively...
, was re-elected.
The movement recommended rejecting the European constitution as they considered it to be undemocratic and to introduce too much central control. However, the European constitution was passed in the Danish Parliament without a referendum.
In May 2008 Jens-Peter Bonde
Jens-Peter Bonde
Jens-Peter Rossen Bonde is a former Member of the European Parliament with the June Movement. He resigned as an MEP in May 2008. Bonde was elected to the European Parliament in the first election in 1979 with the People's Movement against the EU. He has been re-elected 6 times consecutively...
resigned from the European Parliament, succeeded by Hanne Dahl
Hanne Dahl
Hanne Dahl is a Danish priest and politician from Aalborg. She is a member of the European Parliament, representing the June Movement .-References:...
. Jens-Peter Bonde is not a leading member of the June Movement any more, instead working as an adviser for the cross-European Libertas Party.
2009 electoral defeat and end
On 7 June 2009 the June Movement was convincingly defeated in the Danish elections for the European Parliament, and the movement losts its seat. To run again, the movement must collect signatures from 80,000 voters, which is considered an impossible task. On the evening of the election, movement leader Keld Albrecthsen announced that the movement would disband, which it did on 5 September 2009.Policies
The organisation claimed to be cross-spectre and had active members from all political affiliations, however with emphasis on the centre-leftCentre-left
Centre-left is a political term that describes individuals, political parties or organisations such as think tanks whose ideology lies between the centre and the left on the left-right spectrum...
.
The June Movements did not want Denmark to leave the EU, but proposed a "slimmer and better EU". In general the movement wanted the EU to deal with only cross-border issues such as environmental and trade policies. Nature sustainability
Sustainability
Sustainability is the capacity to endure. For humans, sustainability is the long-term maintenance of well being, which has environmental, economic, and social dimensions, and encompasses the concept of union, an interdependent relationship and mutual responsible position with all living and non...
, human and animal health should have higher priority than capital movements and free market issues. The movement demanded transparency and control of the EU's use of money. It proposed a reversed form of the EU's principle of subsidiarity
Subsidiarity
Subsidiarity is an organizing principle that matters ought to be handled by the smallest, lowest or least centralized competent authority. The Oxford English Dictionary defines subsidiarity as the idea that a central authority should have a subsidiary function, performing only those tasks which...
, meaning that it wanted the EU to handle issues only when ordered to do so by the member countries. The movement also wanted the EU to skip interference into areas which were covered by other international organisations, such as human rights, defence and security politics.
One proposal for democratic reform of the EU was to let the European commissioners be elected nationally, by the electorate. This was meant to offer more debate on EU legislation as well as to bring in more democracy to the EU.
The movement was strongly against the Lisbon Treaty, and former MEP Jens-Peter Bonde
Jens-Peter Bonde
Jens-Peter Rossen Bonde is a former Member of the European Parliament with the June Movement. He resigned as an MEP in May 2008. Bonde was elected to the European Parliament in the first election in 1979 with the People's Movement against the EU. He has been re-elected 6 times consecutively...
was known as an outspoken
critic of the treaty in the European Parliament.
Organisation
The organisation was run by a board, elected by participants of the annual general meeting. The board had to have a certain minimum membership of both genders. The last board included MEPMember of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
Hanne Dahl
Hanne Dahl
Hanne Dahl is a Danish priest and politician from Aalborg. She is a member of the European Parliament, representing the June Movement .-References:...
as well as chairman Keld Albrechtsen among others.
Symbol
The symbol of the movement was the strawberryStrawberry
Fragaria is a genus of flowering plants in the rose family, Rosaceae, commonly known as strawberries for their edible fruits. Although it is commonly thought that strawberries get their name from straw being used as a mulch in cultivating the plants, the etymology of the word is uncertain. There...
, which in Denmark is typically associated with summer and the month of June.
European relations
Traditionally the June Movement had relations with political organisations proposing democratisation of the EU in most EU countries, as well as in non-member states. It had a Swedish sister party, the Junilistan, which also lost its seats in the European Parliament in 2009. Slovenia is the third EU country home to a June Movement; although this party did not run in the 2004 elections, it planned to do so in 2009. The Slovenians use the same symbols as the Danish movement. The June Movements of these various countries are all members of the EUDemocratsEUDemocrats
The EUDemocrats – Alliance for a Europe of Democracies – is a eurorealist alliance of parties and movements from 15 European countries. It operates as a transnational party at a European level , according to Regulation No 2004/2003...
.
In the European Parliament the June Movement participated in the Independence/Democracy group. In 2005 some prominent members of the June Movement decided to leave the organisation because they disagreed with certain conservative or traditionalist parties which participated in the Independence and Democracy group. Since then, the Lega Nord and most MEPs of the League of Polish Families
League of Polish Families
The League of Polish Families is a right-wing political party in Poland. It was represented in the Polish parliament, forming part of the cabinet of Jarosław Kaczyński, until the latter dissolved in September 2007....
also left the Independence/Democracy group. The group did not survive the 2009 elections.
External links
- June Movement
- EUDemocrats official website