Folketing

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This article deals with the Folketing in Denmark, for the Folkting in Finland, see Swedish Assembly of Finland.
Denmark

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The Folketing ['fɔlgəˌtʰeŋˤ], or Folketinget, is the name of the national parliament of Denmark. It literally means the People's Ting - that is, the people's governing assembly.

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[edit] History

From 1849 to 1953 the Folketing was one of the two houses in the bicameral parliament known as the Rigsdag; the other house was known as the "Landsting". Since both houses, in principle, had equal power, the terms "upper house" and "lower house" were not used. The difference between the houses was voter representation.

The Folketing was elected by common vote and consisted mainly of independent farmers, traders and merchants as well as the educated classes (i.e. the liberal forces of society). From 1866 to 1915 the right of vote for the Landsting was restricted to the wealthiest, and some of its members were even appointed by the king, thus it predominantly represented the old aristocracy and other conservatives. From 1915 the Landsting was also elected by common vote, although indirectly and with a higher age limit than for the Folketing. During the next decades, law making mainly took place in the Folketing and the Landsting came to be regarded as a superfluous rubber stamp.

In 1953 the people by popular vote adopted a revised constitution. Among the changes was the elimination of the Landsting and the introduction of a unicameral parliament, known only as the Folketing. Christiansborg Castle has been the domicile of parliament since 1849. The palace is located in the heart of Copenhagen.

[edit] Last election results

[discuss] – [edit]
Summary of the 8 February 2005 Danish Parliament election results
Parties Leaders Votes % Seats +/-
Venstre (Liberals) (V) Anders Fogh Rasmussen 974,657 29.0 52 −4
Social Democrats (Socialdemokraterne) (A) Mogens Lykketoft 867,933 25.9 47 −5
Danish People's Party (Dansk Folkeparti) (O) Pia Kjærsgaard 444,205 13.2 24 2
Conservative People's Party (Det Konservative Folkeparti) (C) Bendt Bendtsen 345,132 10.3 18 2
Danish Social Liberal Party (Det Radikale Venstre) (B) Marianne Jelved 307,132 9.2 17 8
Socialist People's Party (Socialistisk Folkeparti) (F) Holger K. Nielsen 201,162 6.0 11 −1
Red-Green Alliance (Enhedslisten) (Ø) Collective Leadership 111,394 3.4 6 2
Christian Democrats (Kristendemokraterne) (K) Marianne Karlsmose 57,836 1.7 0 −4
Centre Democrats (Centrum-Demokraterne) (D) Mimi Jakobsen 33,635 1.0 0 0
Minority Party (Minoritetspartiet) (M) Rune Engelbreth Larsen 8,883 0.3 0 N/A
Siumut (Forward) (Greenland)       1 N/A
Inuit Ataqatigiit (Inuit Community) (Greenland)       1 N/A
Republican Party (Tjóðveldisflokkurin) (Faroe Islands)       1 N/A
People's Party (Fólkaflokkurin) (Faroe Islands)       1 N/A
Total (Turnout 84.4 %)       179  

[edit] Constitutional Requirements

  • The Folketing consists of 179 members all elected for a four-year term or until the Prime Minister (via the Queen-in-council) calls for elections, whichever comes first. Greenland and the Faroe Islands each elect 2 members separately.
  • Members are elected in accordance with the principle of proportional majority.
  • The Constitution requires for "equal representation of the various opinions of the electorate", and for regional representaion to be secured. The electoral act stipulates the details for this: 135 seats are elected by proportional representation in 17 districts, and 40 supplementary seats are allotted to make out for the difference between district and nation-wide vote.
  • The result is proportional representation; however, in rare cases, the biggest parties may gain one or two seats extra from smaller parties.
  • The voter may vote for a party list, one of the candidates on a party list, or an independent candidate.
  • Parties (usually district party assemblies) decide on the nomination of candidates before the election. When co-nomination is assigned, candidates are elected according to personal votes. When priority order is assigned, only an extreme number of personal votes can change the rank.
  • Parties must pass the threshold, 2 % of the national vote, to gain any seats. A party below the threshold will, however, be able to be represented by way of district seats if it is very strong in one region. This has happened for the German minority party and in very rare cases for other parties.
  • To contest an election, parties which are not currently represented in Parliament must collect certificates of support from ca. 20,000 voters (number of votes equivalent to one seat) and have these individually stamped by the registration offices in these voters' municipalities of residence.
  • Denmark has universal suffrage for all citizens over 18 years who live in the realm and who have not been declared incapable of managing their own affairs. The constitution makes it possible to restrict suffrage for convicted criminals and people receiving social benefits, but this option has not been used for several decades.
  • All voters who have not been convicted of criminal acts, making them unworthy for a seat in the parliament, are eligible. The Folketing decides if a member is eligible or not (after his election).
  • The constitution does not mention political parties at all, although the electoral act does, and MPs are virtually always elected for a party. The only independent who has been elected in modern times is the comedian Jacob Haugaard, but independents, usually unknown ones, are seen at every election. Requirements for standing as an independent candidate are much smaller than for a new party, but independents are only allowed to contest in a single district, making it very difficult to gain the needed number of votes for a seat.
  • Members enjoy immunity, meaning that no criminal charges may be brought against an MP, unless he is caught red-handed, provided that the Folketing doesn't lift the immunity. The purpose of this is to prevent political persecution. In practice, the Folketing has always lifted the immunity when a member has been accused of a crime, usually with the consent of the accused member himself.
  • Debates can be conducted behind closed doors, although this hasn't happened since 9 April 1940, day of the German invasion in WW II.
  • Ministers may hold a seat in parliament, but they don't need to. Supreme Court judges - according to convention - may not hold a seat whilst also acting as judges.
  • Ministers may - even if they are not MPs - demand talking time whenever they want.
  • Bills may be brought before parliament by members (private bills) and ministers. Bills are predominantly brought before parliament by ministers, since they have the Law Office of the Ministry of Justice at their disposal. Instead of putting forward a private bill, the opposition usually put forward a proposal for parliamentary decision, i.e. a short resolution which addresses the subject and directs the relevant minister to propose a bill concerning it.


Christiansborg Castle
Christiansborg Castle
Christiansborg Castle at night
Christiansborg Castle at night
Folketing chamber
Folketing chamber
Folketing in session
Folketing in session

[edit] List of Speakers of the Folketing (1933-present)

From To Speaker of the Folketing Years of living
9 May 1933 30 October 1945 Hans Rasmussen, S 1873-1949
22 November 1945 22 February 1950 Julius Bomholt, S 1896-1969
23 February 1950 22 September 1964 Gustav Pedersen, S 1893-1975
6 October 1964 22 January 1968 Julius Bomholt, S 1896-1969
6 February 1968 30 September 1978 Karl Skytte, B 1908-1986
3 October 1978 8 December 1981 Knud Børge Andersen, S 1914-1984
22 December 1981 10 January 1989 Svend Jakobsen, S b. 1935
10 January 1989 3 October 1989 Erik Ninn-Hansen, C b. 1922
3 October 1989 15 January 1993 H. P. Clausen, C 1928-1998
27 January 1993 5 October 1994 Henning Rasmussen, S 1926-1997
5 October 1994 11 March 1998 Erling Olsen, S b. 1927
26 March 1998 11 March 2003†[1] Ivar Hansen, V 1938-2003
18 March 2003 Current incumbent Christian Mejdahl, V b. 1939

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Ivar Hansen died in office. His successor was not appointed immediately, and in the meantime Svend Auken, S was acting speaker.

[edit] External links

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