Social Democrats (Denmark)

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Socialdemokraterne
Party Logo
Leader Helle Thorning-Schmidt
Founded 1871
Headquarters Danasvej 7
1910 Frederiksberg C
Political ideology Social democracy
International affiliation Party of European Socialists
Website http://www.socialdemokraterne.dk
Social Democratic election poster (early or mid-20th century)
Enlarge
Social Democratic election poster (early or mid-20th century)
Social Democratic election poster, October 1945
Enlarge
Social Democratic election poster, October 1945

The Social Democrats (Socialdemokraterne), is a Danish political party. After the 2001 parliamentary elections it became the second largest party, with 29.1% of the votes and 52 seats. After the election of 2005, it is still the second largest party with 25,8% (867.350 votes) and 47 seats. These results were the first time the Social Democrats were not the most popular party since the end of World War II. The party is currently led by Helle Thorning-Schmidt, and it is a member of the Party of European Socialists and the Socialist International. It has five MEPs in the European Parliament, an increase of three after the election in 2004. The increase was mainly supported by the large number of voters who voted for former party leader and Prime Minister Poul Nyrup Rasmussen.

Contents

[edit] Recent history

[edit] In government 1993–2001

The Social Democrats' social policy through the 1990s and continuing in the 21st century involved a significant redistribution of income and the maintenance of a large state apparatus with collectively financed core services such as healthcare, education and infrastructure.

Social Democrat-led coalition governments (the Cabinets of Poul Nyrup Rasmussen I, II, III, IV) implemented the system known as flexicurity (flexibility and social security), mixing strong Scandinavian unemployment benefits with a more lax regulation of employment, making it easier for employers to fire people in order to encourage economic growth and reduce unemployment. It is required for people to continually try to remain an active part of the job force in order to receive benefits if they lose their job. This plan has proven to be successful at reducing unemployment,[citation needed] and it has been proposed as a plausible model for other European countries such as France.

The Cabinets of Poul Nyrup Rasmussen maintained a parliamentary majority during the period from 1993 to 2001 by virtue of their support from the Socialist People's Party and the Red-Green Alliance.

Towards the end of the 1990s, a trade surplus of 30 billion kroner (USD 4.9 billion) turned into a deficit.[citation needed] To combat this, the government increased taxes, limiting private consumption. The 1998 initiative, which was dubbed the Whitsun Packet (Danish: Pinsepakken) from the season it was issued, was not universally popular with the electorate, which may have been a factor in the Social Democrats' defeat in the 2001 parliamentary election.

[edit] In opposition 2001–present

After the defeat to the Liberal Party in the 2001 election, the party chairmanship went to former finance and foreign minister Mogens Lykketoft. Following another defeat in the January 2005 election, Lykketoft announced his resignation as party leader, and at an extraordinary congress on 12 March, it was decided that all members of the party would cast votes in an election of a new party leader. The two contenders for the leadership represented the two wings in the party, with Helle Thorning-Schmidt being viewed as centrist and Frank Jensen being viewed as slightly more left-wing. On 12 April 2005 Helle Thorning-Schmidt was elected as the new leader.

[edit] Leaders of the Socialdemocrats

[edit] See also

[edit] External link


Political Parties in Denmark
Represented in the Folketing:

Venstre (52) | Social Democrats (47) | Danish People's Party (24) | Conservative People's Party (18) | Danish Social Liberal Party (17) | Socialist People's Party (11) | Red-Green Alliance (6) | Siumut (Greenland) (1) | Inuit Ataqatigiit (Greenland) (1) | Republican Party (Faroe Islands) (1) | People's Party (Faroe Islands) (1)
Represented in the European Parliament:

Social Democrats (5) | Venstre (3) | Danish People's Party (1) | Conservative People's Party (1) | Danish Social Liberal Party (1) | Socialist People's Party (1) | June Movement (1) | People's Movement against the EU (1)
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