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Socialist People's Party (Denmark)
Encyclopedia
The Socialist People's Party (SF) is a green
and socialist
political party in Denmark.
, a former leader of the Communist Party of Denmark
(DKP) and CIA agent. Larsen was removed from the ranks of the DKP for his criticism over the Soviet
intervention in the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. Larsen and the new SF sought to form a third way between Denmark's United States-oriented social democracy
and Soviet Union
–oriented communism
, which sought to combine democracy with socialism
. He was joined by a large share of the members of the DKP.
In the 1960 elections
the party entered the Folketing
with eleven seats. The DKP lost all of its six seats. In the 1964 elections
the party lost one seat. During the 1960s the SF became involved in the peace movement
and the movements which opposed nuclear weapons and nuclear power
. It sought to "walk on two legs", by combining its parliamentary work with involvement in grass roots movements.
In the 1966 elections
the Social Democrats
and the SF won a combined majority in parliament, in which the SF doubled its amount of seats from 10 to 20. A Social Democrat minority government
was formed, which was supported by the SF. The cooperation lasted only one year, but lead to considerable conflict within the SF: in 1967 the Left Socialists
(VS) broke away from the SF. In the subsequent 1968 elections
the SF lost nine seats and the VS entered parliament with four. In 1969 the party chairperson Larsen stood down, he was replaced by Sigurd Ømann
.
the party regained ground on the VS, winning six seats, while the VS left the Folketing. In 1972 the party led the referendum
campaign against Denmark's entry into the European Economic Community
. The Danish voters voted in favour of the European by a narrow margin. Because of its opposition to the EEC however boosted the SF's membership and support. In the subsequent 1973 "landslide" elections
, the SF lost six seats (reducing the party's share to 11), and re-entered the Folketing with six seats. In 1974 Ømann stood down as party chairperson in favour of Gert Petersen. In the 1975 elections
the SF lost two seats and the VS re-entered the Folketing as well. In 1977
the party reached an all-time low with only seven seats. During the 1970s the SF began to change its program and electoral appeal. Where it had been a male-domined workers' party it became broader left-wing
political party that was oriented towards new voters and new social movements
. It became more focused on the environment
and gender politics
.
In 1979
the party won four seats as the DKP lost its six seats. In the 1981 elections
the party almost doubled from eleven to twenty-one. In the 1984 elections
it remained stable. In the 1986 referendum
on the Single European Act
the SF campaigned together with the Social Democrat sand the Social Liberal Party against the European Community. The SEA was adopted by a narrow margin. In the subsequent 1987
it reached its all-time peak with twenty seven seats. In 1988
it lost three seats and in 1990
it lost another nine, leaving only fifteen. In 1991 the party leader Petersen stood down in favour of Holger K. Nielsen
. Between 1982 and 1993 a centre-right government led by Poul Schlüter
formed by the Conservatives
, the Liberals
and allies was in power even though the Social Democrats, SF and the Social Liberals formed a majority in parliament. This, combined with its links with the peace and environmental movement gave the SF the power to force alternative security and environmental policies.
, who was compared to the other candidate Sten Gade, closer to the party's socialist past.
In the 1992 referendum
on the treaty of Maastricht the SF campaigned for the "no"-vote. The Danish people voted against the referendum. In 1993 the SF formed a historic compromise with the other parties in the Folketing. It accepted the concessions made to the Danes in the Edinburgh Agreement
and to the SF in the National Compromise. Therefore it campaigned to vote "yes" in the second referendum
. Just before the referendum in 1991 the SF's party congress had adopted a new program of action and principles, "Mod Nye Tider (Towards New Times)", which departed from the old anti-EU line. As a group in the SF became more positive of the EU, the SF became increasingly divided on the issue.
In 1994
it lost another two seats and the Red-Green Alliance
an alliance which included the DKP and the VS entered parliament with six seats. In the 1998 elections
the party remained stable. During the 1998 referendum
on the Treaty of Amsterdam it led the No-camp again, unsuccessfully. Between 1993 and 2001 the SF supported a Social Democrat
/Social Liberal minority government led by Poul Nyrup Rasmussen
.
In the 2000 referendum
on the euro, the SF was able to convince the voters to vote "no".
the party lost one seat and after Venstre
, the Conservative People's Party
and the Danish People's Party
gained a majority SF lost almost all political influence in parliament. There were some local bright spots with great support to SF mayors in Vejle
, Them
, Nakskov
, Kalundborg
and Maribo
caused by charismatic candidates.
In 2004 the party's sole MEP again decided to sit with The Greens–European Free Alliance group instead of the European United Left–Nordic Green Left
, leading to considerable internal conflict. The party has since then come around to her point of view, and in 2008 it was decided that future SF MEPs should sit in the Green Group, though SF still remains only an observer in the European Green Party
and not a member.
In the 2005 elections
SF gained the worst election result since 1979 and lost yet another seat in parliament. On election night Holger K. Nielsen stepped down as party chairman in favour of a new chair. When Holger K. Nielsen
announced that he would step down as chairman three candidates for the post came forth: Pia Olsen, Meta Fuglsang and Villy Søvndal
. At an at times chaotic process on the party congress resulted in the decision to hold a ballot among the party members to decide who should be chairman. Søvndal, running on a platform of moving the party further to the left
won the ballot with 60 % of the vote.
The election of Søvndal brought major changes to the party. Greater emphasis was placed on professionalism, the use of focus groups and a change in electoral strategy. The number of key issues was reduced to three to better penetrate in the media with fewer slogans.
In a 2006 internal referendum 66% of the SF-members declared that the party should participate in the "yes"-camp in a referendum on the European Constitution, a historic break from its Eurosceptic past.
In the 2007 election
SF more than doubled its seats in parliament and became the fourth-largest party with increased support across the country. In itself this did not bring about any major change in political influence since the centre-right was able to maintain its majority. However the increase in votes and members of parliament brought optimism and new resources to the party. The media had also discovered Søvndal's ability to make an impact and gave him the opportunity to use that in many cases. The number of party members also greatly increased during this period.
At the 2006 party congress Søvndal took exception to anti-democratic groups, mostly Hizb-ut-Tahrir using a for the party unusually harsh language. He repeated these statements on his blog in 2008 which led to great attention to the party and some internal criticism. Right-wing politicians praised Søvndal's statements and rhetoric which caused insecurity in somme parts of the party who felt they were being embraced by some of SF's main political opponents on the right wing. The polls during these months showed a constant rise in support for the party which combined with a decline in support for the Social Democrats
showed an almost equal support to the two parties. For the first time ever some polls showed greater support for SF than for the Social Democrats
. In the spring of 2008 this however changed so that SF got 16 % in the polls and the Social Democrats
23 %.
In 2008 SF voted in favour for the national budget for 2009. This was the first time the SF had voted in favour of a national budget by the Fogh
cabinet. This was widely regarded as an attempt to disprove the frequent accusations of SF not being "economically responsible".
Before the 2011 election SF announced that its goal was to be part of a cabinet consisting of SF, the Social Democrats
and the Social Liberal Party. While the Social Democrats were positive to the idea the Social Liberals were initially more sceptical, due to differences in economic policies. This became a reality with the formationcabinet of Helle Thorning-Schmidt
: for the first time SF was part of a cabinet, with six cabinet ministers.
, the SF went from 11 to 23 seats in the Folketing
:
. Without the approval of the party's board she joined the Greens/European Free Alliance parliamentary group instead of the European United Left–Nordic Green Left
in 2004. Since then, the party has come around to her point of view and at the national congress in 2008, it was decided that future SF MEPs will stay in the Green/EFA group in the European Parliament, but SF will only join the European Green Party
as an observer and not as a member. In the 2009 European elections the party increased its share or vote to 15,6% and got an additional seat which went to Emilie Turunen
.
and 21 representatives in Denmark's fourteen regional councils
. During the 1990s the party gained its first mayors
, inspired by democratic socialism
and green politics
. The party sees a democratic socialist Denmark as the end goal of its politics. The party is a strong supporter of human rights
, the rights of minorities and democracy.
An important issue dividing the party is the European Union
. Historically the party was highly Eurosceptic
. However, during the 1990s, when the EU began to implement policies oriented at regional development, environmental protection and social protection, the SF became more positive about the EU. Currently, this issue is still dividing the party internally.
Other important issues for the SF are globalisation based on solidarity. To that extent, it seeks to reform the WTO, as well as environmental
protection, as well as support feminism.
es but only delegates have voting rights. In May 2010 the party had 17,883 members. Its youth organization is the Youth of the Socialist People's Party
. The linked Socialist Popular Education Organisation organizes a yearly political summer meeing for members and non-members in Livø
.
who have cooperated in minority government
s supported by the SF.
and has observer status in the European Greens. Between 1979 and 1989 its MEPs sat in the Communists and Allies group. Between 1989 and 1994 its sole MEP was member of the European United Left parliamentary group. Between 1994 and 1999 its sole MEP sat in the Green Group. Between 1999 and 2004 its sole MEP sat in the European United Left - Nordic Green Left group. After 2004 election
, SF's sole MEP, Margrete Auken
, controversially chose to sit in the European Greens - European Free Alliance group.
party like the Swedish Left Party
, the Norwegian Socialist Left Party
, the Finnish Left Alliance
and the Icelandic Left-Green Movement
. These were also influenced by feminism and green politics
in the 1970s and 1980s. Similar parties in Western Europe were French Unified Socialist Party
and the Dutch Pacifist Socialist Party
.
Green politics
Green politics is a political ideology that aims for the creation of an ecologically sustainable society rooted in environmentalism, social liberalism, and grassroots democracy...
and socialist
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
political party in Denmark.
1959–69
The SF was founded on 15 February 1959 by Aksel LarsenAksel Larsen
Aksel Larsen was a Danish politician who was chairman of the Communist Party of Denmark and chairman and founder of the Socialist People's Party. Larsen became leader of the Communist Party in 1932, and was elected to the Danish Parliament in 1932...
, a former leader of the Communist Party of Denmark
Communist Party of Denmark
Communist Party of Denmark is a communist political party in Denmark which was founded as Venstresocialistiske Parti in 1919. VSP was a split from the Danish Social Democratic Party. The party assumed its present name in 1920...
(DKP) and CIA agent. Larsen was removed from the ranks of the DKP for his criticism over the Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
intervention in the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. Larsen and the new SF sought to form a third way between Denmark's United States-oriented social democracy
Social democracy
Social democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism...
and Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
–oriented communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
, which sought to combine democracy with socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
. He was joined by a large share of the members of the DKP.
In the 1960 elections
Danish parliamentary election, 1960
Parliamentary elections were held in Denmark on 15 November 1960. The Social Democratic Party remained the largest in the Folketing, with 76 of the 179 seats. Voter turnout was 85.8% in Denmark proper, 57.1% in the Faroe Islands and 65.8% in Greenland....
the party entered the 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....
with eleven seats. The DKP lost all of its six seats. In the 1964 elections
Danish parliamentary election, 1964
Parliamentary elections were held in Denmark on 22 September 1964. The Social Democratic Party remained the largest in the Folketing, with 76 of the 179 seats. Voter turnout was 85.5% in Denmark proper, 50.2% in the Faroe Islands and 48.9% in Greenland....
the party lost one seat. During the 1960s the SF became involved in the peace movement
Peace movement
A peace movement is a social movement that seeks to achieve ideals such as the ending of a particular war , minimize inter-human violence in a particular place or type of situation, often linked to the goal of achieving world peace...
and the movements which opposed nuclear weapons and nuclear power
Nuclear power
Nuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity. Nuclear power plants provide about 6% of the world's energy and 13–14% of the world's electricity, with the U.S., France, and Japan together accounting for about 50% of nuclear generated electricity...
. It sought to "walk on two legs", by combining its parliamentary work with involvement in grass roots movements.
In the 1966 elections
Danish parliamentary election, 1966
Parliamentary elections were held in Denmark on 23 January 1966. The Social Democratic Party remained the largest in the Folketing, with 69 of the 179 seats. Voter turnout was 88.6% in Denmark proper, 48.8% in the Faroe Islands and 59.0% in Greenland .-Results:...
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...
and the SF won a combined majority in parliament, in which the SF doubled its amount of seats from 10 to 20. A Social Democrat minority government
Minority government
A minority government or a minority cabinet is a cabinet of a parliamentary system formed when a political party or coalition of parties does not have a majority of overall seats in the parliament but is sworn into government to break a Hung Parliament election result. It is also known as a...
was formed, which was supported by the SF. The cooperation lasted only one year, but lead to considerable conflict within the SF: in 1967 the Left Socialists
Left Socialists
Left Socialists , a political party in Denmark. VS works on what it calls a 'undogmatic revolutionary and Marxist basis'.It was formed in 1967 as a split from the Socialist People's Party . VS was represented by the letter "Y" on the electoral ballots. VS members of parliament were respected and...
(VS) broke away from the SF. In the subsequent 1968 elections
Danish parliamentary election, 1968
Parliamentary elections were held in Denmark on 23 January 1968. The Social Democratic Party remained the largest in the Folketing, with 62 of the 179 seats. Voter turnout was 89.3% in Denmark proper, 56.6% in the Faroe Islands and 56.3% in Greenland....
the SF lost nine seats and the VS entered parliament with four. In 1969 the party chairperson Larsen stood down, he was replaced by Sigurd Ømann
Sigurd Ømann
Sigurd Ømann was chairman of the Socialist People's Party of Denmark in the period 1968-1974. Before he joined to Socialist People's Party he was a member of the Communist Party of Denmark from 1953 to 1958. He was a member of parliament for the Socialist People's Party in the period 1966-1977...
.
1969–91
In the 1971 electionsDanish parliamentary election, 1971
Parliamentary elections were held in Denmark on 21 September 1971 and in the Faroe Islands on 5 October. The Social Democratic Party remained the largest in the Folketing, with 70 of the 179 seats...
the party regained ground on the VS, winning six seats, while the VS left the Folketing. In 1972 the party led the referendum
Danish European Communities membership referendum, 1972
A referendum on joining the European Economic Community was held in Denmark on 2 October 1972. The result was 63.3% in favour with a turnout of 90.1%...
campaign against Denmark's entry into the European Economic Community
European Economic Community
The European Economic Community The European Economic Community (EEC) The European Economic Community (EEC) (also known as the Common Market in the English-speaking world, renamed the European Community (EC) in 1993The information in this article primarily covers the EEC's time as an independent...
. The Danish voters voted in favour of the European by a narrow margin. Because of its opposition to the EEC however boosted the SF's membership and support. In the subsequent 1973 "landslide" elections
Danish parliamentary election, 1973
Parliamentary elections were held in Denmark on 4 December 1973 and in the Faroe Islands on 13 December. It has since been referred to as the Landslide Election , as five new or previously unrepresented parties won seats, and more than half the members of the parliament were replaced...
, the SF lost six seats (reducing the party's share to 11), and re-entered the Folketing with six seats. In 1974 Ømann stood down as party chairperson in favour of Gert Petersen. In the 1975 elections
Danish parliamentary election, 1975
Parliamentary elections were held in Denmark on 9 January 1975. The result was a victory for the Social Democratic Party, who won 53 of the 179 seats. Voter turnout was 88.2% in Denmark proper, 56.1% in the Faroe Islands and 68.7% in Greenland.-Results:...
the SF lost two seats and the VS re-entered the Folketing as well. In 1977
Danish parliamentary election, 1977
Parliamentary elections were held in Denmark on 15 February 1977. The Social Democratic Party remained the largest in the Folketing, with 65 of the 179 seats. Voter turnout was 88.7% in Denmark proper, 62.9% in the Faroe Islands and 70.0% in Greenland....
the party reached an all-time low with only seven seats. During the 1970s the SF began to change its program and electoral appeal. Where it had been a male-domined workers' party it became broader left-wing
Left-wing politics
In politics, Left, left-wing and leftist generally refer to support for social change to create a more egalitarian society...
political party that was oriented towards new voters and new social movements
New social movements
The term new social movements is a theory of social movements that attempts to explain the plethora of new movements that have come up in various western societies roughly since the mid-1960s which are claimed to depart significantly from the conventional social movement paradigm.There are two...
. It became more focused on the environment
Environmentalism
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...
and gender politics
Identity politics
Identity politics are political arguments that focus upon the self interest and perspectives of self-identified social interest groups and ways in which people's politics may be shaped by aspects of their identity through race, class, religion, sexual orientation or traditional dominance...
.
In 1979
Danish parliamentary election, 1979
Parliamentary elections were held in Denmark on 23 October 1979. The Social Democratic Party remained the largest in the Folketing, with 68 of the 179 seats. Voter turnout was 85.6% in Denmark proper, 65.4% in the Faroe Islands and 50.3% in Greenland....
the party won four seats as the DKP lost its six seats. In the 1981 elections
Danish parliamentary election, 1981
Parliamentary elections were held in Denmark on 8 December 1981. The Social Democratic Party remained the largest in the Folketing, with 59 of the 179 seats. Voter turnout was 83.3% in Denmark proper, 55.4% in the Faroe Islands and 61.0% in Greenland....
the party almost doubled from eleven to twenty-one. In the 1984 elections
Danish parliamentary election, 1984
Parliamentary elections were held in Denmark on 10 January 1981, after the opposition voted against the government's state budget bill. Although the Social Democratic Party remained the largest in the Folketing with 56 of the 179 seats, the Conservative People's Party achieved its best-ever result,...
it remained stable. In the 1986 referendum
Danish Single European Act referendum, 1986
A non-binding referendum on the Single European Act was held in Denmark on 27 February 1986. It was approved by 56.2% of voters, with a turnout of 75.4%....
on the Single European Act
Single European Act
The Single European Act was the first major revision of the 1957 Treaty of Rome. The Act set the European Community an objective of establishing a Single Market by 31 December 1992, and codified European Political Cooperation, the forerunner of the European Union's Common Foreign and Security Policy...
the SF campaigned together with the Social Democrat sand the Social Liberal Party against the European Community. The SEA was adopted by a narrow margin. In the subsequent 1987
Danish parliamentary election, 1987
Parliamentary elections were held in Denmark on 8 September 1987. Although the Social Democratic Party remained the largest in the Folketing with 54 of the 179 seats, the Conservative People's Party-led coalition government was able to continue. Voter turnout was 86.7% in Denmark proper, 68.9% in...
it reached its all-time peak with twenty seven seats. In 1988
Danish parliamentary election, 1988
Parliamentary elections were held in Denmark on 10 May 1988, just seven months after the last elections. Prime Minister Poul Schlüter chose to call for an election after the Conservative People's Party-led government fell short of a majority in a foreign policy issue after they failed to come to an...
it lost three seats and in 1990
Danish parliamentary election, 1990
Parliamentary elections were held in Denmark on 12 December 1990. Although the election resulted in a strong gain for the Social Democratic Party, Poul Schlüter's coalition government was able to continue despite the Danish Social Liberal Party leaving. Schlüter's coalition consisted of the...
it lost another nine, leaving only fifteen. In 1991 the party leader Petersen stood down in favour of Holger K. Nielsen
Holger K. Nielsen
Holger Kirkholm Nielsen, known as Holger K. Nielsen for short, is a Danish politician, member of the Danish Folketinget parliament for the Socialist People's Party...
. Between 1982 and 1993 a centre-right government led by Poul Schlüter
Poul Schlüter
Poul Holmskov Schlüter is a Danish politician, who served as Prime Minister of Denmark from 1982 to 1993.Born in Tønder, south Jutland, he graduated from the University of Copenhagen in 1957 with a degree in law, and joined the bar in 1960. Schlüter was a member of the Danish Parliament for the...
formed by the Conservatives
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...
, 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 allies was in power even though the Social Democrats, SF and the Social Liberals formed a majority in parliament. This, combined with its links with the peace and environmental movement gave the SF the power to force alternative security and environmental policies.
1991–2001
In 1991 Petersen stood down as party chairperson, he was replaced by Holger K. NielsenHolger K. Nielsen
Holger Kirkholm Nielsen, known as Holger K. Nielsen for short, is a Danish politician, member of the Danish Folketinget parliament for the Socialist People's Party...
, who was compared to the other candidate Sten Gade, closer to the party's socialist past.
In the 1992 referendum
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...
on the treaty of Maastricht the SF campaigned for the "no"-vote. The Danish people voted against the referendum. In 1993 the SF formed a historic compromise with the other parties in the Folketing. It accepted the concessions made to the Danes in the Edinburgh Agreement
Edinburgh Agreement
The Edinburgh Agreement or Edinburgh Decision is a December 1992 agreement reached at a European Council meeting in Edinburgh, UK, that granted Denmark four exceptions to the Maastricht Treaty so that it could be ratified by Denmark. This was necessary because, without all member states of the...
and to the SF in the National Compromise. Therefore it campaigned to vote "yes" in the second referendum
Danish Maastricht Treaty referendum, 1993
A second referendum on the Maastricht Treaty was held in Denmark on 18 May 1993. After rejecting the treaty in a referendum the previous year, this time it was approved by 56.7% of voters with an 86.5% turnout.-Background:...
. Just before the referendum in 1991 the SF's party congress had adopted a new program of action and principles, "Mod Nye Tider (Towards New Times)", which departed from the old anti-EU line. As a group in the SF became more positive of the EU, the SF became increasingly divided on the issue.
In 1994
Danish parliamentary election, 1994
Parliamentary elections were held in Denmark on 21 September 1994. The coalition of the Social Democratic Party, the Danish Social Liberal Party and the Centre Democrats led by Poul Nyrup Rasmussen remained in power despite the Christian People's Party, which had been part of the government,...
it lost another two seats and the 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...
an alliance which included the DKP and the VS entered parliament with six seats. In the 1998 elections
Danish parliamentary election, 1998
Parliamentary elections were held in Denmark on 11 March 1998. The Social Democratic Party-led government of Poul Nyrup Rasmussen remained in power in a very close vote that required several recounts. The right-wing parties led by Venstre had been expected to win. Venstre leader Uffe...
the party remained stable. During the 1998 referendum
Danish Amsterdam Treaty referendum, 1998
A referendum on the Amsterdam Treaty was held in Denmark on 28 May 1998. It was approved by with 55.1% of voters with a turnout of 76.2%. The Treaty subsequently came into effect on 1 May 1999.-Background:...
on the Treaty of Amsterdam it led the No-camp again, unsuccessfully. Between 1993 and 2001 the SF supported a Social Democrat
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...
/Social Liberal minority government led by 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...
.
In the 2000 referendum
Danish euro referendum, 2000
A referendum on joining the Euro was held in Denmark on 28 September 2000. It was rejected by 53.2% of voters with a turnout of 87.6%.-Background:...
on the euro, the SF was able to convince the voters to vote "no".
Since 2001
In the 2001 electionsDanish parliamentary election, 2001
Parliamentary elections were held in Denmark on 20 November 2001. For the first time since the 1924 the Social Democrats did not win the most seats. Anders Fogh Rasmussen of the centre-right Venstre became Prime Minister in coalition with the Conservative People's Party, as the head of the first...
the party lost one seat and after 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...
, 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...
and 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 a majority SF lost almost all political influence in parliament. There were some local bright spots with great support to SF mayors in Vejle
Vejle
Vejle is a town in Denmark, in the southeast of the Jutland Peninsula at the head of Vejle Fjord, where the Vejle and Grejs Rivers and their valleys converge. It is the site of the councils of Vejle Municipality and the Region of Southern Denmark...
, Them
Them, Denmark
Them is a small town in central Denmark with a population of 2,259 , located in Silkeborg municipality in Jutland, lying a few kilometers south-west of Silkeborg, and north-east of Bryrup.-Business:...
, Nakskov
Nakskov
Nakskov is a town in south Denmark. It is in Lolland municipality in Region Sjælland on the western coast of the island of Lolland. The town has a population of 13,560 . To the west is Nakskov Fjord, an inlet from the Langeland Belt that runs between the islands of Lolland and Langeland...
, Kalundborg
Kalundborg
Kalundborg is a city with a population of 16,434 in Kalundborg municipality in Denmark and the site of its municipal council. Kalundborg is on the main island Zealand, with Copenhagen, but opposite on the far western edge....
and Maribo
Maribo
Maribo is a town in Lolland municipality in Region Sjælland on the island of Lolland in south Denmark. To the north of Maribo is Nørresø and to the south is Søndersø . Søndersø is the largest lake on Lolland...
caused by charismatic candidates.
In 2004 the party's sole MEP again decided to sit with The Greens–European Free Alliance group instead of the European United Left–Nordic Green Left
European United Left–Nordic Green Left
European United Left/Nordic Green Left is a left-wing political group with seats in the European Parliament since 1995.-Position:According to its 1994 constituent declaration, the group is opposed to the present European political structure, but committed to integration...
, leading to considerable internal conflict. The party has since then come around to her point of view, and in 2008 it was decided that future SF MEPs should sit in the Green Group, though SF still remains only an observer in the European Green Party
European Green Party
The European Green Party is the Green political party at European level. As such it is a federation of green parties in Europe.-History:...
and not a member.
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...
SF gained the worst election result since 1979 and lost yet another seat in parliament. On election night Holger K. Nielsen stepped down as party chairman in favour of a new chair. When Holger K. Nielsen
Holger K. Nielsen
Holger Kirkholm Nielsen, known as Holger K. Nielsen for short, is a Danish politician, member of the Danish Folketinget parliament for the Socialist People's Party...
announced that he would step down as chairman three candidates for the post came forth: Pia Olsen, Meta Fuglsang and 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....
. At an at times chaotic process on the party congress resulted in the decision to hold a ballot among the party members to decide who should be chairman. Søvndal, running on a platform of moving the party further to the left
Left-wing politics
In politics, Left, left-wing and leftist generally refer to support for social change to create a more egalitarian society...
won the ballot with 60 % of the vote.
The election of Søvndal brought major changes to the party. Greater emphasis was placed on professionalism, the use of focus groups and a change in electoral strategy. The number of key issues was reduced to three to better penetrate in the media with fewer slogans.
In a 2006 internal referendum 66% of the SF-members declared that the party should participate in the "yes"-camp in a referendum on the European Constitution, a historic break from its Eurosceptic past.
In the 2007 election
Danish parliamentary election, 2007
The 66th Folketing election in Denmark was held on 13 November 2007. The election allowed prime minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen to continue for a third term in a coalition government consisting of the Liberals and the Conservative People's Party with parliamentary support from the Danish People's...
SF more than doubled its seats in parliament and became the fourth-largest party with increased support across the country. In itself this did not bring about any major change in political influence since the centre-right was able to maintain its majority. However the increase in votes and members of parliament brought optimism and new resources to the party. The media had also discovered Søvndal's ability to make an impact and gave him the opportunity to use that in many cases. The number of party members also greatly increased during this period.
At the 2006 party congress Søvndal took exception to anti-democratic groups, mostly Hizb-ut-Tahrir using a for the party unusually harsh language. He repeated these statements on his blog in 2008 which led to great attention to the party and some internal criticism. Right-wing politicians praised Søvndal's statements and rhetoric which caused insecurity in somme parts of the party who felt they were being embraced by some of SF's main political opponents on the right wing. The polls during these months showed a constant rise in support for the party which combined with a decline in support for 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...
showed an almost equal support to the two parties. For the first time ever some polls showed greater support for SF than for 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...
. In the spring of 2008 this however changed so that SF got 16 % in the polls and 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...
23 %.
In 2008 SF voted in favour for the national budget for 2009. This was the first time the SF had voted in favour of a national budget by the Fogh
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....
cabinet. This was widely regarded as an attempt to disprove the frequent accusations of SF not being "economically responsible".
Before the 2011 election SF announced that its goal was to be part of a cabinet consisting of SF, 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...
and the Social Liberal Party. While the Social Democrats were positive to the idea the Social Liberals were initially more sceptical, due to differences in economic policies. This became a reality with the formationcabinet of Helle Thorning-Schmidt
Cabinet of Helle Thorning-Schmidt
The cabinet of Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt is the current cabinet of Denmark. It is a coalition government between the Social Democrats, Social Liberal Party and Socialist People's Party...
: for the first time SF was part of a cabinet, with six cabinet ministers.
Election results
| Election | Votes | Procent | Mandates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 149.440 | 6,1 % | 11 |
| 1964 | 151.697 | 5,8 % | 10 |
| 1966 | 304.437 | 10,9 % | 20 |
| 1968 | 174.553 | 6,1 % | 11 |
| 1971 | 262.756 | 9,1 % | 17 |
| 1973 | 183.522 | 6,0 % | 11 |
| 1975 | 150.963 | 5,0 % | 9 |
| 1977 | 120.357 | 3,9 % | 7 |
| 1979 | 187.284 | 5,9 % | 11 |
| 1981 | 353.373 | 11,3 % | 21 |
| 1984 | 387.122 | 11,5 % | 21 |
| 1987 | 490.176 | 14,6 % | 27 |
| 1988 | 433.261 | 13,0 % | 24 |
| 1990 | 268.759 | 8,3 % | 15 |
| 1994 | 242.398 | 7,3 % | 13 |
| 1998 | 257.406 | 7,6 % | 13 |
| 2001 | 219.842 | 6,4 % | 12 |
| 2005 | 201.047 | 6,0 % | 11 |
| 2007 | 450.975 | 13,0 % | 23 |
| 2011 | 326.082 | 9,2 % | 16 |
Representation
| Year | 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.... |
EP 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... |
Party Chairperson |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 Danish parliamentary election, 1960 Parliamentary elections were held in Denmark on 15 November 1960. The Social Democratic Party remained the largest in the Folketing, with 76 of the 179 seats. Voter turnout was 85.8% in Denmark proper, 57.1% in the Faroe Islands and 65.8% in Greenland.... |
11 | n/a | Aksel Larsen Aksel Larsen Aksel Larsen was a Danish politician who was chairman of the Communist Party of Denmark and chairman and founder of the Socialist People's Party. Larsen became leader of the Communist Party in 1932, and was elected to the Danish Parliament in 1932... |
| 1961 | 11 | n/a | Aksel Larsen |
| 1962 | 11 | n/a | Aksel Larsen |
| 1963 | 11 | n/a | Aksel Larsen |
| 1964 Danish parliamentary election, 1964 Parliamentary elections were held in Denmark on 22 September 1964. The Social Democratic Party remained the largest in the Folketing, with 76 of the 179 seats. Voter turnout was 85.5% in Denmark proper, 50.2% in the Faroe Islands and 48.9% in Greenland.... |
10 | n/a | Aksel Larsen |
| 1965 | 10 | n/a | Aksel Larsen |
| 1966 Danish parliamentary election, 1966 Parliamentary elections were held in Denmark on 23 January 1966. The Social Democratic Party remained the largest in the Folketing, with 69 of the 179 seats. Voter turnout was 88.6% in Denmark proper, 48.8% in the Faroe Islands and 59.0% in Greenland .-Results:... |
20 | n/a | Aksel Larsen |
| 1967 | 20 | n/a | Aksel Larsen |
| 1968 Danish parliamentary election, 1968 Parliamentary elections were held in Denmark on 23 January 1968. The Social Democratic Party remained the largest in the Folketing, with 62 of the 179 seats. Voter turnout was 89.3% in Denmark proper, 56.6% in the Faroe Islands and 56.3% in Greenland.... |
11 | n/a | Aksel Larsen |
| 1969 | 11 | n/a | Sigurd Ømann Sigurd Ømann Sigurd Ømann was chairman of the Socialist People's Party of Denmark in the period 1968-1974. Before he joined to Socialist People's Party he was a member of the Communist Party of Denmark from 1953 to 1958. He was a member of parliament for the Socialist People's Party in the period 1966-1977... |
| 1970 | 11 | n/a | Sigurd Ømann |
| 1971 Danish parliamentary election, 1971 Parliamentary elections were held in Denmark on 21 September 1971 and in the Faroe Islands on 5 October. The Social Democratic Party remained the largest in the Folketing, with 70 of the 179 seats... |
17 | n/a | Sigurd Ømann |
| 1972 | 17 | n/a | Sigurd Ømann |
| 1973 Danish parliamentary election, 1973 Parliamentary elections were held in Denmark on 4 December 1973 and in the Faroe Islands on 13 December. It has since been referred to as the Landslide Election , as five new or previously unrepresented parties won seats, and more than half the members of the parliament were replaced... |
11 | n/a | Sigurd Ømann |
| 1974 | 11 | n/a | Gert Petersen Gert Petersen Gert Verner Petersen was a journalist and politician who helped found and represent the Socialist People's Party. He was born in Nykøbing Falster, Denmark, as the son of the factory worker Karen Rolandsen... |
| 1975 Danish parliamentary election, 1975 Parliamentary elections were held in Denmark on 9 January 1975. The result was a victory for the Social Democratic Party, who won 53 of the 179 seats. Voter turnout was 88.2% in Denmark proper, 56.1% in the Faroe Islands and 68.7% in Greenland.-Results:... |
9 | n/a | Gert Petersen |
| 1976 | 9 | n/a | Gert Petersen |
| 1977 Danish parliamentary election, 1977 Parliamentary elections were held in Denmark on 15 February 1977. The Social Democratic Party remained the largest in the Folketing, with 65 of the 179 seats. Voter turnout was 88.7% in Denmark proper, 62.9% in the Faroe Islands and 70.0% in Greenland.... |
7 | n/a | Gert Petersen |
| 1978 | 7 | n/a | Gert Petersen |
| 1979 Danish parliamentary election, 1979 Parliamentary elections were held in Denmark on 23 October 1979. The Social Democratic Party remained the largest in the Folketing, with 68 of the 179 seats. Voter turnout was 85.6% in Denmark proper, 65.4% in the Faroe Islands and 50.3% in Greenland.... |
11 | 1 | Gert Petersen |
| 1980 | 11 | 1 | Gert Petersen |
| 1981 Danish parliamentary election, 1981 Parliamentary elections were held in Denmark on 8 December 1981. The Social Democratic Party remained the largest in the Folketing, with 59 of the 179 seats. Voter turnout was 83.3% in Denmark proper, 55.4% in the Faroe Islands and 61.0% in Greenland.... |
21 | 1 | Gert Petersen |
| 1982 | 21 | 1 | Gert Petersen |
| 1983 | 21 | 1 | Gert Petersen |
| 1984 Danish parliamentary election, 1984 Parliamentary elections were held in Denmark on 10 January 1981, after the opposition voted against the government's state budget bill. Although the Social Democratic Party remained the largest in the Folketing with 56 of the 179 seats, the Conservative People's Party achieved its best-ever result,... |
21 | 2 | Gert Petersen |
| 1985 | 21 | 2 | Gert Petersen |
| 1986 | 21 | 2 | Gert Petersen |
| 1987 Danish parliamentary election, 1987 Parliamentary elections were held in Denmark on 8 September 1987. Although the Social Democratic Party remained the largest in the Folketing with 54 of the 179 seats, the Conservative People's Party-led coalition government was able to continue. Voter turnout was 86.7% in Denmark proper, 68.9% in... |
27 | 2 | Gert Petersen |
| 1988 Danish parliamentary election, 1988 Parliamentary elections were held in Denmark on 10 May 1988, just seven months after the last elections. Prime Minister Poul Schlüter chose to call for an election after the Conservative People's Party-led government fell short of a majority in a foreign policy issue after they failed to come to an... |
24 | 2 | Gert Petersen |
| 1989 | 24 | 1 | Gert Petersen |
| 1990 Danish parliamentary election, 1990 Parliamentary elections were held in Denmark on 12 December 1990. Although the election resulted in a strong gain for the Social Democratic Party, Poul Schlüter's coalition government was able to continue despite the Danish Social Liberal Party leaving. Schlüter's coalition consisted of the... |
15 | 1 | Gert Petersen |
| 1991 | 15 | 1 | Gert Petersen |
| 1992 | 15 | 1 | Gert Petersen |
| 1993 | 15 | 1 | Gert Petersen |
| 1994 Danish parliamentary election, 1994 Parliamentary elections were held in Denmark on 21 September 1994. The coalition of the Social Democratic Party, the Danish Social Liberal Party and the Centre Democrats led by Poul Nyrup Rasmussen remained in power despite the Christian People's Party, which had been part of the government,... |
13 | 1 | Holger K. Nielsen Holger K. Nielsen Holger Kirkholm Nielsen, known as Holger K. Nielsen for short, is a Danish politician, member of the Danish Folketinget parliament for the Socialist People's Party... |
| 1995 | 13 | 1 | Holger K. Nielsen |
| 1996 | 13 | 1 | Holger K. Nielsen |
| 1997 | 13 | 1 | Holger K. Nielsen |
| 1998 Danish parliamentary election, 1998 Parliamentary elections were held in Denmark on 11 March 1998. The Social Democratic Party-led government of Poul Nyrup Rasmussen remained in power in a very close vote that required several recounts. The right-wing parties led by Venstre had been expected to win. Venstre leader Uffe... |
13 | 1 | Holger K. Nielsen |
| 1999 | 13 | 1 | Holger K. Nielsen |
| 2000 | 13 | 1 | Holger K. Nielsen |
| 2001 Danish parliamentary election, 2001 Parliamentary elections were held in Denmark on 20 November 2001. For the first time since the 1924 the Social Democrats did not win the most seats. Anders Fogh Rasmussen of the centre-right Venstre became Prime Minister in coalition with the Conservative People's Party, as the head of the first... |
12 | 1 | Holger K. Nielsen |
| 2002 | 12 | 1 | Holger K. Nielsen |
| 2003 | 12 | 1 | Holger K. Nielsen |
| 2004 | 12 | 1 | Holger K. Nielsen |
| 2005 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... |
11 | 1 | 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.... |
| 2006 | 11 | 1 | Villy Søvndal |
| 2007 Danish parliamentary election, 2007 The 66th Folketing election in Denmark was held on 13 November 2007. The election allowed prime minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen to continue for a third term in a coalition government consisting of the Liberals and the Conservative People's Party with parliamentary support from the Danish People's... |
23 | 1 | Villy Søvndal |
| 2008 | 23 | 1 | Villy Søvndal |
| 2009 | 23 | 2 | Villy Søvndal |
Members of the Folketing
In the 2007 electionDanish parliamentary election, 2007
The 66th Folketing election in Denmark was held on 13 November 2007. The election allowed prime minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen to continue for a third term in a coalition government consisting of the Liberals and the Conservative People's Party with parliamentary support from the Danish People's...
, the SF went from 11 to 23 seats in the 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....
:
- Anne Baastrup
- Anne Grete Holmsgaard
- Astrid Krag
- Eigil Andersen
- Flemming Bonne
- Hanne Agersnap
- Holger K. NielsenHolger K. NielsenHolger Kirkholm Nielsen, known as Holger K. Nielsen for short, is a Danish politician, member of the Danish Folketinget parliament for the Socialist People's Party...
- Ida AukenIda AukenIda Margrete Meier Auken is a Danish politician from the Socialist People's Party. Her mother is Margrete Auken. She is a priest by profession and has been a member of the Danish parliament since 2007...
- Jesper PetersenJesper PetersenJesper Petersen is a former Danish handball player who competed in the 1976 Summer Olympics.He played his club handball with Fredericia KFUM. In 1976 he was part of the Denmark national handball team which finished eighth in the Olympic tournament. He played five matches and scored one...
- Jonas Dahl
- Kamal QureshiKamal QureshiKamal Hameed Qureshi is a Pakistani politician current living in Denmark. Born in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, he moved with his parents to Copenhagen, Denmark at the age of four....
- Karina Lorentzen
- Karl Bornhøft
- Karsten Hønge
- Kristen Touborg
- Nanna Westerby
- Ole SohnOle SohnOle Christian Liep Sohn is a Danish politician and author. He is currently a member of the Parliament of Denmark for the Socialist People's Party and Minister of Economic and Business Affairs.-Early life:...
- Pernille Frahm
- Pernille Vigsø Bagge
- Pia Olsen Dyhr
- Steen Gade
- Villy SøvndalVilly SøvndalVilly 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....
- Özlem Cekic
Members of the European Parliament
In the period 2004–2009 SF had one member in the European Parliament, Margrete AukenMargrete Auken
Margrete Auken is a politician, and member of the Danish socialist party Socialistisk Folkeparti , and the sister of Svend Auken...
. Without the approval of the party's board she joined the Greens/European Free Alliance parliamentary group instead of the European United Left–Nordic Green Left
European United Left–Nordic Green Left
European United Left/Nordic Green Left is a left-wing political group with seats in the European Parliament since 1995.-Position:According to its 1994 constituent declaration, the group is opposed to the present European political structure, but committed to integration...
in 2004. Since then, the party has come around to her point of view and at the national congress in 2008, it was decided that future SF MEPs will stay in the Green/EFA group in the European Parliament, but SF will only join the European Green Party
European Green Party
The European Green Party is the Green political party at European level. As such it is a federation of green parties in Europe.-History:...
as an observer and not as a member. In the 2009 European elections the party increased its share or vote to 15,6% and got an additional seat which went to Emilie Turunen
Emilie Turunen
Emilie Turunen is, as of 2009, the youngest member of the European Parliament. She has represented the Danish constituency since the 2009 European election and is a member of the European Green Party .-Life:Turunen graduated from Roskilde University in Social Science and Working Life Studies...
.
Municipal and Regional Government
Currently the party has approximately 236 elected representatives in local town councilsMunicipalities of Denmark
This is a list of Municipalities of Denmark.-Region Hovedstaden:* Albertslund Municipality* Allerød Municipality* Ballerup Municipality* Bornholm Regional Municipality* Brøndby Municipality* Copenhagen Municipality* Dragør Municipality* Egedal Municipality...
and 21 representatives in Denmark's fourteen regional councils
Regions of Denmark
The Regions of Denmark were created as part of the 2007 Danish Municipal Reform. The five regions replace the former sixteen counties . At the same time, the number of municipalities was cut from 270 to 98. The reform was made effective on 1 January 2007.- List of regions :The names of the regions...
. During the 1990s the party gained its first mayors
Ideology and Issues
SF's ideological base is Popular SocialismPopular Socialism
Popular Socialism is a distinct Scandinavian socialist current. Around the world there are many parties called Popular Socialist Party or likewise, which does not really imply any specific ideological direction...
, inspired by democratic socialism
Democratic socialism
Democratic socialism is a description used by various socialist movements and organizations to emphasize the democratic character of their political orientation...
and green politics
Green politics
Green politics is a political ideology that aims for the creation of an ecologically sustainable society rooted in environmentalism, social liberalism, and grassroots democracy...
. The party sees a democratic socialist Denmark as the end goal of its politics. The party is a strong supporter of human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
, the rights of minorities and democracy.
An important issue dividing the party is 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...
. Historically the party was highly Eurosceptic
Euroscepticism
Euroscepticism is a general term used to describe criticism of the European Union , and opposition to the process of European integration, existing throughout the political spectrum. Traditionally, the main source of euroscepticism has been the notion that integration weakens the nation state...
. However, during the 1990s, when the EU began to implement policies oriented at regional development, environmental protection and social protection, the SF became more positive about the EU. Currently, this issue is still dividing the party internally.
Other important issues for the SF are globalisation based on solidarity. To that extent, it seeks to reform the WTO, as well as environmental
Natural environment
The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living species....
protection, as well as support feminism.
Organization
The SF has a strong grassroots organization: all members can participate in the party congressParty Congress
A party congress is a general conference of a political party. The congress is attended by delegates who represent the party membership. In most parties the party congress is the highest decision making body of the organisation and elects the party's leadership bodies such as the National Executive...
es but only delegates have voting rights. In May 2010 the party had 17,883 members. Its youth organization is the Youth of the Socialist People's Party
Youth of the Socialist People's Party
Socialistisk Folkepartis Ungdom is the youth wing of the Socialist People's Party of Denmark, founded in 1969...
. The linked Socialist Popular Education Organisation organizes a yearly political summer meeing for members and non-members in Livø
Livø
Livø is an island of approx. 320 acres with approx. 10 year-round residents. The island is situated in the Limfjord and is located approx. 20 minutes by boat from Roenbjerg middle of the Limfjord. The island is located midway between Nykøbing Mors, Løgstør, Fjerritslev and Thisted...
.
Relationships to other parties
The SF has good relationships with the Social Liberal Party and the Social DemocratsSocial 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...
who have cooperated in minority government
Minority government
A minority government or a minority cabinet is a cabinet of a parliamentary system formed when a political party or coalition of parties does not have a majority of overall seats in the parliament but is sworn into government to break a Hung Parliament election result. It is also known as a...
s supported by the SF.
International organizations
SF is a member of the Nordic Green Left AllianceNordic Green Left Alliance
The Nordic Green Left Alliance is an alliance of Nordic left-wing parties, founded in Reykjavík, Iceland on February 1, 2004.The member organizations of NGLA are: Left Alliance Left-Green Movement Left Party Socialist Left Party Socialist People's Party Republicans Inuit Ataqatigiit Most of...
and has observer status in the European Greens. Between 1979 and 1989 its MEPs sat in the Communists and Allies group. Between 1989 and 1994 its sole MEP was member of the European United Left parliamentary group. Between 1994 and 1999 its sole MEP sat in the Green Group. Between 1999 and 2004 its sole MEP sat in the European United Left - Nordic Green Left group. After 2004 election
European Parliament election, 2004
Elections to the European Parliament were held from 10 June 2004 to 13 June 2004 in the 25 member states of the European Union, using varying election days according to local custom...
, SF's sole MEP, Margrete Auken
Margrete Auken
Margrete Auken is a politician, and member of the Danish socialist party Socialistisk Folkeparti , and the sister of Svend Auken...
, controversially chose to sit in the European Greens - European Free Alliance group.
International Comparison
The SF is a Nordic Green LeftNordic Green Left
Nordic green left refers to a specific brand of socialism from the Nordic countries that incorporates elements of environmentalism and feminism. Nordic green left parties are organized in:...
party like the Swedish Left Party
Left Party (Sweden)
The Left Party is a socialist and feminist political party in Sweden, from 1967 to 1990 known as the Left Party – The Communists .On welfare issues, the party opposes privatizations...
, the Norwegian Socialist Left Party
Socialist Left Party (Norway)
The Socialist Left Party or SV, is a Norwegian left-wing political party. At one point one of the smallest parties in Parliament, it became the fourth-largest political party in Norway for the first time in the 2001 parliamentary election, and has been so ever since...
, the Finnish Left Alliance
Left Alliance (Finland)
The Left Alliance is a left-wing political party in Finland. It was founded on the basis of the Finnish People's Democratic League and the Communist Party of Finland in 1990....
and the Icelandic Left-Green Movement
Left-Green Movement
The Left-Green Movement is a left-wing political party in Iceland.It was founded in 1999 by a few members of Alþingi who did not approve of the planned merger of the left parties in Iceland that resulted in the founding of the Social Democratic Alliance...
. These were also influenced by feminism and green politics
Green politics
Green politics is a political ideology that aims for the creation of an ecologically sustainable society rooted in environmentalism, social liberalism, and grassroots democracy...
in the 1970s and 1980s. Similar parties in Western Europe were French Unified Socialist Party
Unified Socialist Party (France)
The Unified Socialist Party was a socialist political party in France, founded on April 3, 1960. It was originally led by Édouard Depreux , and by Michel Rocard .- History :...
and the Dutch Pacifist Socialist Party
Pacifist Socialist Party
The Pacifist Socialist Party was a Dutch left-socialist political party. The PSP played a small role in Dutch politics. It is a predecessor of the GreenLeft.-Before 1957:...
.
Members of the Folketing 2005
- Anne Baastrup
- Steen Gade
- Pernille Vigsø Bagge
- Poul Henrik Hedeboe
- Anne Grete Holmsgaard
- Morten Homann
- Kristen Touborg Jensen
- Holger K. NielsenHolger K. NielsenHolger Kirkholm Nielsen, known as Holger K. Nielsen for short, is a Danish politician, member of the Danish Folketinget parliament for the Socialist People's Party...
- Kamal QureshiKamal QureshiKamal Hameed Qureshi is a Pakistani politician current living in Denmark. Born in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, he moved with his parents to Copenhagen, Denmark at the age of four....
- Ole SohnOle SohnOle Christian Liep Sohn is a Danish politician and author. He is currently a member of the Parliament of Denmark for the Socialist People's Party and Minister of Economic and Business Affairs.-Early life:...
- Villy SøvndalVilly SøvndalVilly 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....
See also
- Green party
- Green politicsGreen politicsGreen politics is a political ideology that aims for the creation of an ecologically sustainable society rooted in environmentalism, social liberalism, and grassroots democracy...
- List of environmental organizations
External links
- Socialistisk Folkeparti – Official site