Politics of Denmark

The politics of Denmark take place within the framework of a parliamentary representative democracy, a constitutional monarchy and a decentralised unitary state in which the monarch of Denmark, King Frederik X, is the head of state. Denmark is a nation state. Danish politics and governance are known for working together to find agreement on important issues, both among politicians and across society.

Executive power is exercised by the cabinet of Denmark, led by the Prime Minister. Legislative power is held mainly by the Folketing, Denmark's single parliament, although the Cabinet also plays a role. Judges are chosen by the government, officially appointed by the monarch, and serve until they retire.

Denmark has many political parties, with no single party able to win all the votes alone. Because of this, governments often need to work with other parties to pass laws, which helps everyone feel heard. This system makes the Folketing quite powerful compared to parliaments in other countries. Overall, Denmark is known for its clear and fair government, and people there generally trust their political system.

Monarchy

King Frederik X became the King and head of state on January 14, 2024. According to the Danish Constitution, the monarch is the official source of all power, but in practice, this power is used by the government and parliament.

The Danish constitution was written in 1849 and has been updated to fit modern times. While the monarch can technically refuse to approve a law, this power is rarely used. The King also chooses the Prime Minister, but this is done based on advice from political leaders. Today, the monarch’s role is mostly symbolic, with real power lying with the elected government. The King still has the right to be informed, give advice, and warn the government during official meetings.

Political parties

See also: List of political parties in Denmark

Denmark has a multi-party system. Twelve parties have seats in parliament, with two more trying to win seats in the last 2022 Danish general election. The four oldest and most important parties are the Conservative People's Party, the Social Democrats, Venstre (which means "Left" but is a right-wing party), and the Social Liberal Party. Newer parties, like the Danish People's Party and the Red-Green Alliance, have also become important.

Parties in Denmark usually have yearly meetings where they decide their plans and choose leaders. Members of parliament often work together in groups to support their party's ideas. Many parties also have groups for younger people to get involved, like the Social Democratic Youth, Young Liberals, and Radikal Ungdom.

Political blocs

See also: Political group

People sometimes call left-wing parties the "red bloc" and right-wing parties the "blue bloc." The Social Democrats and Venstre have often led these groups. However, some newer parties, like the Moderates, want to work with parties from both groups, using the color purple to show this. The Alternative also does not like being called just a red party, saying they are a green party.

Executive

The government handles the main tasks of running the kingdom. Decisions are made by the Cabinet, which is led by the Prime Minister. The Cabinet and the Prime Minister must answer to the Folketing, which is Denmark's parliament.

Cabinet members are called "ministers" and each has different jobs. They manage parts of the government's work and lead groups of civil servants who help run the country.

The Prime Minister is the main leader of the government. The Prime Minister and Cabinet members are chosen by the king based on which parties are in the Folketing. If the Folketing shows it does not trust the Prime Minister, the whole Cabinet must leave, unless there is a new election, in which case the old government stays on temporarily until a new one is formed.

Most governments in recent years have been made up of several parties working together. The Prime Minister is usually from either the Venstre party or the Social Democrats. After the 2019 election, Mette Frederiksen from the Social Democrats became Prime Minister. In 2022, she formed a new government with the Social Democrats, the Liberal Party, and the Moderates party.

The king decides how many ministers there are and what areas they are responsible for. In 2015, there were 17 ministers, including the Prime Minister. Each minister leads a government department, called a Ministry, and has many civil servants who help them carry out their duties.

List of ministers

Tradition of minority governments

Denmark has a long history of minority governments. This means that the main group leading the country does not have most of the votes in parliament, but they can stay in power if they get support from other smaller groups when needed.

Right now, the government led by the Social Democrats is stable because it has support from the Social Liberal Party, Socialist People's Party, and the Red–Green Alliance. In the past, a different group made of Venstre, the Liberal Alliance, and the Conservatives was supported by the Danish People's Party.

This system allows smaller groups to help make laws on issues they care about, working together only when it benefits them. Because of this, making laws in Denmark often needs many talks and agreements between different groups. It is normal for different sides in Danish politics to work together in the parliament, called the Folketing.

Legislature

Main article: Folketing

The Folketing is Denmark's main law-making body. It is the most important part of the country's political system, working within the rules set by the constitution. The Prime Minister and the government come from the Folketing, and they must have support from most of its members. The government must answer questions and explain its actions to the Folketing regularly.

The Folketing has 179 seats in total. Two seats are for the Faroe Islands, two for Greenland, and the rest are for people elected in Denmark. Elections happen at least every four years, and parties need just over 2% of the votes to get a seat in the Folketing. This often means many different parties are in parliament, making it sometimes hard to form a stable government. However, in recent years, governments have been more stable and lasted longer.

History

When Denmark became a democracy in 1849, it had a two-house parliament. In 1901, the lower house, called the Folketinget, became the most important one. In 1953, Denmark changed its constitution and got rid of the upper house, leaving only the Folketinget.

1943 dissolution of government

During the occupation of Denmark in the Second World War, German leaders took control when the Danish government would not follow their orders. The Danish government stepped down, and daily work was handled by top civil servants. The Germans managed the rest of the country until Denmark was freed in 1945.

Composition

Seat distribution

2022 election

Main article: 2022 Danish general election

In the 2022 election, the Social Democrats were the largest party with 50 seats in Denmark. The Liberal Party came second with 23 seats. A new party, the Moderates, won 16 seats. The Green Left got 15 seats. Two newer parties, the Denmark Democrats and the Liberal Alliance, each won 14 seats.

Judicial system

See also: Courts of Denmark

Denmark has a fair and skilled group of judges who decide cases. These judges are chosen by the country's monarch, but they work independently. This means they only follow the country's laws when making decisions.

Before 1999, the Ministry of Justice chose judges and managed the justice system. Later, two separate groups were created to handle choosing judges and running the courts, to make sure the process was fair.

Ombudsmanden

The Danish Parliamentary Ombudsman, Jørgen Steen Sørensen, is a lawyer chosen by parliament to watch over the government. He checks places where people’s freedom is limited, like prisons and psychiatric hospitals, to make sure their rights are protected. Although he cannot force the government to change, he can ask the courts to look into situations where the government may be breaking the law.

After an inspection, the Ombudsman can speak out about any problems he finds. The government can decide to act on his comments or ignore them, but doing so might affect how voters and parliament feel about them.

Domestic and foreign relations

Main article: The unity of the Realm

Main article: Foreign relations of Denmark

Also related: Foreign relations of the Faroe Islands and Foreign relations of Greenland

Iceland, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands were once part of Denmark. Iceland became independent in 1944. Today, Greenland and the Faroe Islands manage their own affairs but are still connected to Denmark.

Denmark works closely with other countries. It supports peace and has helped in many places around the world. After World War II, Denmark joined NATO and works with other nations to support human rights and democracy. Danish people have sometimes had different ideas about Europe, but they continue to work together with other European countries.