2011 Danish general election

none February 2020 Kingdom of Denmark 2007 2015 All 179 seats in the Folketing 90 15 September 2011 87.21% Elected in Denmark Lars Løkke Rasmussen Venstre (Denmark) 46 47 26.73 Helle Thorning-Schmidt Social Democrats (Denmark) 45 44 24.81 Pia Kjærsgaard Danish People's Party 25 22 12.32 Margrethe Vestager Danish Social Liberal Party 9 17 9.50 Villy Søvndal Socialist People's Party (Denmark) 23 16 9.20 Collective leadership Red–Green Alliance (Denmark) 4 12 6.68 Anders Samuelsen Liberal Alliance (Denmark) 5 9 4.98 Lars Barfoed Conservative People's Party (Denmark) 18 8 4.94 Elected in the Faroe Islands Kaj Leo Johannesen Union Party (Faroe Islands) 1 1 30.77 Aksel V. Johannesen Social Democratic Party (Faroe Islands) 0 1 20.95 Elected in Greenland Kuupik Kleist Inuit Ataqatigiit 1 1 42.61 Aleqa Hammond Siumut 1 1 37.22 Government Løkke Rasmussen I V–K Government after election Thorning-Schmidt I S–R–SF 300px Most voted-for party by nomination district and constituency 300px Most voted-for bloc by nomination district and constituency 300px Distribution of constituency and levelling seats thumb|270px|right|Campaign posters outside Christiansborg Palace (seat of the Folketing) on the day of the election. General elections were held in Denmark on 15 September 2011 to elect the 179 members of the Folketing. Of those 179, 175 members were elected in Denmark, two in the Faroe Islands and two in Greenland. The incumbent centre-right coalition led by Venstre lost power to a centre-left coalition led by the Social Democrats making Helle Thorning-Schmidt the country's first female Prime Minister. The Social Liberal Party and the Socialist People's Party became part of the three-party government. The new parliament convened on 4 October, the first Tuesday of the month. Background Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who had been re-elected Prime Minister following the 2007 parliamentary election, resigned on 5 April 2009 to become the Secretary General of NATO in August. Polls indicated a preference for early elections over simply having Finance Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen take over as PM; the Social Democrats' Helle Thorning-Schmidt was also suggested as the preferred candidate for PM.http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/view/32900/danes_want_election_if_rasmussen_steps_down Danes Want Election if Rasmussen Steps Down | Angus Reid Public Opinion Angus-reid.com 22 February 2009 8 August 2011 usurped https://web.archive.org/web/20090416014451/http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/view/32900/danes_want_election_if_rasmussen_steps_down 16 April 2009 dmy However, Pia Kjærsgaard, the leader of the Danish People's Party, had reiterated the DPP's continued support for the government, previously avoiding a new election and making Rasmussen the PM within the existing parliament.DF siger god for Løkke som statsminister (16 February 2009) da. Politiken. However, when Rasmussen resigned that support became moot. Date According to the Danish Constitution, the election had to take place no later than 12 November 2011 since the last Danish election was held on 13 November 2007. The prime minister can call the election at any date, provided it is no later than four years from the previous election. Danish media and political commentators speculated about the timing of the election since Rasmussen took office as Prime Minister in April 2009. The election was called on 26 August 2011, after heavy media speculation.October 2011 MPs not seeking re-election The following had as of March 2010 announced that they would not seek re-election.De bliver valgt ved folketingsvalg nu Altinget.dk 6. marts 2003 Malou Aamund (Venstre) Britta Schall Holberg (Venstre) Preben Rudiengaard (Venstre) Jens Vibjerg (Venstre) Jens Kirk (Venstre) Lone Møller (Social Democrats) Vibeke Grave (Social Democrats) Niels Sindal (Social Democrats) Lise von Seelen (Social Democrats) Jens Christian Lund (Social Democrats) Jens Peter Vernersen (Social Democrats) Søren Krarup (Danish People's Party) Jesper Langballe (Danish People's Party) Lone Dybkjær (Social Liberal Party) Niels Helveg Petersen (Social Liberal Party) Bente Dahl (Social Liberal Party) Jørgen Poulsen (Social Liberal Party) Line Barfod (Red-Green Alliance) Retired MPs October 2011 Mogens Camre (DF) Rikke Hvilshøj (V) Gitte Seeberg (Independent) Mia Falkenberg (DF) Anders Fogh Rasmussen (V) Morten Messerschmidt (DF) Bendt Bendtsen (K) Svend Auken (S) Morten Helveg Petersen (R) Thomas Adelskov (S) Lene Hansen (S) Knud Kristensen (K) Connie Hedegaard (K) Søren Gade (V) Contesting parties PartyLetterLeaderDenmark proper VenstreVLars Løkke Rasmussen Social Democrats (Socialdemokraterne)AHelle Thorning-Schmidt Danish People's Party (Dansk Folkeparti)OPia Kjærsgaard Danish Social Liberal Party (Det Radikale Venstre)BMargrethe Vestager Socialist People's Party (Socialistisk Folkeparti)FVilly Søvndal Red-Green Alliance (Enhedslisten)ØCollective leadership Liberal AllianceIAnders Samuelsen Conservative People's Party (Det Konservative Folkeparti)CLars Barfoed Christian Democrats (Kristendemokraterne)KPer Ørum JørgensenFaroe Islands Union Party (Sambandsflokkurin)BKaj Leo Johannesen Social Democratic Party (Javnaðarflokkurin)CAksel Johannesen Republic (Tjóðveldi)EHøgni Hoydal People's Party (Fólkaflokkurin)AJørgen Niclasen Centre Party (Miðflokkurin)HJenis av Rana Self-Government Party (Sjálvstýrisflokkurin)DKári á RógvuGreenland Inuit Ataqatigiit Kuupik Kleist Siumut Aleqa Hammond Democrats (Demokraatit) Jens B. Frederiksen Atassut Finn Karlsen Coalitions The former Prime Minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, led a centre-right minority government consisting of the Liberal Party and the Conservative People's Party. This coalition government worked with regular parliamentary support from the national conservative Danish People's Party and often gained the necessary 90th seat for a majority in the Folketing through negotiations with the sole MP from the Christian Democrats Ørum-Jørgensenhttp://politiken.dk/politik/ECE1030119/kristendemokraterne-vil-med-i-finansloven/ Kristendemokraterne vil med i finansloven da Politiken.dk 26 July 2011 8 August 2011 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20120111040936/http://politiken.dk/politik/ECE1030119/kristendemokraterne-vil-med-i-finansloven/ 11 January 2012 dmy-all and independent MP Christmas Møller, both elected in 2007 as conservative MPs and since having defected. Since the 2007 election, the Liberal Alliance (previously Ny Alliance) had gained momentum in opinion polls, and since early 2010, the governing coalition had not been able to gather a majority in the polls without the support of the Alliance. The continuing rise in the polls was to an extent the result of the internal crisis in the Conservative People's Party over the leadership Lene Espersenhttp://www.berlingske.dk/politik/lene-espersens-krise-smitter-af-paa-loekke https://archive.today/20120722102458/http://www.berlingske.dk/politik/lene-espersens-krise-smitter-af-paa-loekke dead 22 July 2012 Lene Espersens krise smitter af på Løkke - Politiko | www.b.dk Berlingske.dk 8 August 2011 and the continuing debate over a lack of true liberal/conservative ideology in government policy.Af Uffe Tang og Christian Brøndum http://www.berlingske.dk/politik/liberal-alliance-redder-regeringen Liberal Alliance redder regeringen - Politiko | www.b.dk Berlingske.dk 8 August 2011 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20101225022046/http://www.berlingske.dk/politik/liberal-alliance-redder-regeringen 25 December 2010 dmy-all On 13 January, the continuing turmoil within the Conservative group in the Folketing caused Lene Espersen to resign as political leader of the party and focus on her role as Minister of Foreign Affairs.Af Lene Frøslev http://www.berlingske.dk/politik/det-er-den-rigtige-beslutning "Det er den rigtige beslutning" - Politiko | www.b.dk 13 January 2011 Berlingske.dk 8 August 2011 A leadership election between Brian Mikkelsen, the Minister of Economic and Business Affairs and Lars Barfoed, the Justice Minister, was widely expected,Af Morten Henriksen og Chris Kjær Jessen http://www.berlingske.dk/politik/baade-barfoed-og-brian-vil-afloese-lene Både Barfoed og Brian vil afløse Lene - Politiko | www.b.dk Berlingske.dk 8 August 2011 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20110116192321/http://www.berlingske.dk/politik/baade-barfoed-og-brian-vil-afloese-lene 16 January 2011 dmy-all but on 14 January the Conservative group in the Folketing unanimously elected Barfoed as their new political leader. He was formally elected as chairman of the party at a party convention within a few weeks.Af Louise Lyck Dreehsen http://www.berlingske.dk/politik/barfoed-ny-k-leder Barfoed taler til pressen - Politiko | www.b.dk 14 January 2011 Berlingske.dk 8 August 2011 The Social Democrats, under the leadership of Helle Thorning-Schmidt, had enjoyed continuing majorities in opinion polls since late 2009 and hoped to form a centre-left government coalition consisting of the Socialist People's Party and the Social Liberal Party with parliamentary support from the small Red-Green Alliance.http://www.bt.dk/politik/roed-dominans Rød dominans - Politik BT.dk da 13 June 2010 8 August 2011http://www.dr.dk/Nyheder/Politik/2010/12/02/232622.htm Greens: Markant rødt flertal - dr.dk/Nyheder/Politik 2 December 2010 Dr.dk 8 August 2011 Both Margrethe Vestager (Social Liberal Party) and Villy Søvndal (Socialist People's Party) pledged their support to Thorning-Schmidt before the election.http://borsen.dk/nyheder/politik/artikel/1/143035/vestager_peger_paa_helle_thorning.html Vestager peger på Helle Thorning Borsen.dk 20 October 2008 8 August 2011 19 July 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110719124012/http://borsen.dk/nyheder/politik/artikel/1/143035/vestager_peger_paa_helle_thorning.html dead But there has been considerable debate about the future politics of this coalition, mainly because the Social Liberal Party demands a more liberal economic agenda. Also on immigration issues there are political differences between the three coalition parties. This led some observers to believe that the Social Liberal Party would not join a government coalition but instead opt to be a part of the parliamentary support of a new, centre-left government.http://www.dr.dk/Nyheder/Politik/2010/08/19/150632.htm?rss=true Radikale med i regering - hvis ... - dr.dk/Nyheder/Politik Dr.dk 19 August 2010 8 August 2011 In the event the Social Liberals did join the new three-party coalition government formed on 3 October. Opinion polls Polling FirmDateSourceVenstre (V)Social Democrats (A)Danish People's Party (O)Socialist People's Party (F)Conservative People's Party (C)Social Liberal Party (B)Liberal Alliance (I)Red-Green Alliance (Ø)Christian Democrats (K)GovernmentOpposition2007 Election13 Nov 200726.2%25.5%13.9%13.0%10.4%5.1%2.8%2.2%0.9%53.3%46.7%Capacent26 Feb 2010http://www.dr.dk/Nyheder/Politik/2010/04/02/083616.htm Fortsat flertal til Thorning - dr.dk/Nyheder/Politik 2 April 2010 Dr.dk 8 August 201122.1%26.3%14.5%18.1%11.6%4.4%0.7%2.0%0.3%48.9%50.8%Capacent31 Mar 201023.7%26.7%13.8%17.2%10.9%4.6%0.5%2.2%0.3%48.9%50.7%Greens7 Jan 2011Morten Stryhn http://borsen.dk/nyheder/politik/artikel/1/198818/konservative_i_historisk_nedsmeltning.html Konservative i historisk nedsmeltning 7 January 2011 Borsen.dk 8 August 2011 29 September 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110929185513/http://borsen.dk/nyheder/politik/artikel/1/198818/konservative_i_historisk_nedsmeltning.html dead 21.6%29.2%14.6%13.0%4.5%7.5%5.8%3.2%0.4%46.5%52.9%Gallup7 Jan 2011http://www.berlingske.dk/politik/se-gallup-maalingen-her Se Gallup-målingen her - Politiko | www.b.dk Berlingske.dk 8 August 2011 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20110110133326/http://www.berlingske.dk/politik/se-gallup-maalingen-her 10 January 2011 dmy-all 24.3%31.3%12.2%12.7%6.0%5.5%4.3%2.9%0.8%46.8%52.4%YouGov12 Jan 2011Thomas Ambrosius http://www.metroxpress.dk/dk/article/2011/01/11/21/5627-90/index.xml De Konservative er spillet af brættet – metroXpress Metroxpress.dk 8 August 2011 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20110115053222/http://www.metroxpress.dk/dk/article/2011/01/11/21/5627-90/index.xml 15 January 2011 dmy 21.8%26.4%13.5%15.2%4.4%6.2%8.3%4.0%0.3%48.0%51.8%Capacent12 Jan 2011http://www.dr.dk/Nyheder/Politik/2011/01/12/135542.htm Blokke står uændret efter efterlønsdebat - dr.dk/Nyheder/Politik 12 January 2011 Dr.dk 8 August 201123.1%29.9%13.0%13.0%5.9%5.5%4.3%4.8%0.3%46.3%53.2%Gallup14 Jan 2011http://politiken.dk/politik/meningsmaaleren/ Seneste nyt om politik - politiken.dk Læs seneste nyt om dansk politik og EU på politiken.dk. Nyheder fra Christiansborg, kommuner, regioner og Bruxelles da Politiken.dk 8 August 2011 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20110803045942/http://politiken.dk/politik/meningsmaaleren/ 3 August 2011 dmy-all 24.6%28.6%13.0%14.9%5.7%5.8%4.0%2.9%0.5%47.3%52.2%Voxmeter16 Jan 201122.9%31.1%11.8%12.3%5.7%5.6%6.3%3.7%0.0%46.6%52.7%Greens21 Jan 2011http://borsen.dk/nyheder/politik/artikel/1/199773/vaelgerne_straffer_pia_kjaersgaard.html Vælgerne straffer Pia Kjærsgaard Borsen.dk 21 January 2011 16 September 2011 19 July 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110719124158/http://borsen.dk/nyheder/politik/artikel/1/199773/vaelgerne_straffer_pia_kjaersgaard.html dead 22.6%29.5%11.6%14.2%6.5%6.5%5.4%2.7%0.4%46.1%52.9%Gallup24 Jan 201123.9%27.6%14.0%13.8%4.9%7.3%4.7%2.7%0.8%47.5%51.4%Greens4 Feb 2011http://borsen.dk/nyheder/politik/artikel/1/200751/thorning_sender_blaa_blok_til_taelling.html Thorning sender blå blok til tælling 4 February 2011 Borsen.dk 16 September 2011 29 September 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110929185758/http://borsen.dk/nyheder/politik/artikel/1/200751/thorning_sender_blaa_blok_til_taelling.html dead 21.3%31.2%12.3%15.6%5.4%5.6%4.4%3.3%0.6%43.4%55.7%Berlingske10 Sep 2011http://www.b.dk/berlingskebarometer Meningsmåling, politik, partier - Berlingske Barometer b.dk 16 September 201123.6%25.5%12.4%11.1%5.9%9.3%5.1%6.4%0.8%47.8%52.3%Berlingske10 Sep 2011http://www.b.dk/ /23.0%25.0%13.6%9.8%5.0%10.0%5.4%7.2%0.9%47.9%52.0%Berlingske12 Sep 201123.8%25.3%12.3%10.7%5.8%9.5%5.2%6.5%0.8%47.9%52.0% Results more detailed results Results of the 2011 Danish general election in Denmark thumb|400x400px File:2011 Danish general election Result.svg Denmark proper Venstre 947725 47 +1 Social Democrats 879615 44 −1 Danish People's Party 436726 22 −3 Danish Social Liberal Party 336698 17 +8 Socialist People's Party 326192 16 −7 Red–Green Alliance 236860 12 +8 Liberal Alliance 176585 9 +4 Conservative People's Party 175047 8 −10 Christian Democrats 28070 0 0 Independents 1850 0 0 34307 0 4079910 y Faroe Islands Union Party 6362 1 0 Social Democratic Party 4332 1 +1 Republic 3995 0 −1 People's Party 3935 0 0 Centre Party 875 0 0 Self-Government 483 0 0 Independents 692 0 0 290 0 35047 y Greenland Inuit Ataqatigiit 9587 1 0 Siumut 8374 1 0 Democrats 2831 0 0 Atassut 1706 0 0 1048 0 40937 Danmarks Statistik Reactions Helle Thorning-Schmidt told a group of supporters: "We did it. Make no mistake: We have written history. Today there’s a change of guards in Denmark." Incumbent Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen congratulated Thorning-Schmidt after conceding defeat: "So tonight I hand over the keys to the prime minister’s office to Helle Thorning-Schmidt. And dear Helle, take good care of them. You’re only borrowing them."Denmark to get 1st female PM after left wins vote Dawn 16 September 2011 https://www.dawn.com/news/659346/denmark-to-get-1st-female-pm-after-left-wins-vote 5 October 2011 The Copenhagen Stock Exchange did not react adversely despite a fear of increased public spending and higher taxes because the election result was largely expected.Mette Fraende Jeremy Gaunt Denmark elects first female PM The Gazette (Montreal) 17 September 2011 https://montrealgazette.com/news/Denmark+elects+first+female/5417610/story.html#ixzz1ZqmdzsRj 5 October 2011 December 2016 InternetArchiveBot yes Analysis The result was seen as leading to a possible roll back of some austerity programmes initiated by the previous government amidst the European sovereign debt crisis.February 2012 The new majority for the leftist bloc deprived the Danish People's Party of the kingmaker role it held under the previous government and used to tighten Danish immigrations policy. However, fundamental changes were not expected, as the Danish political consensus would maintain the welfare system in Denmark that is financed by high taxes. The state of the economy was also seen as a key factor for the anti-incumbent vote. Danish newspapers such as Berlingske also asked if a Red Bloc coalition could survive its tenure with the "sharp differences between [the] parties." It wrote that "with a parliamentary basis consisting of parties in deep mutual dispute over the most important questions in society, the election victory last night could turn out to be a short-lived triumph for Thorning-Schmidt." Government formation Though the Liberal Party remained the single largest party with the addition of one seat and the Social Democrats lost a seat, a three-party coalition of opposition parties together with the supporting Red-Green Alliance had a larger share of seats than the incumbent liberal-conservative coalition with support of the Danish People's Party.http://links.org.au/node/2501 Denmark: Right-wing government defeated, Red-Green Alliance triples seats | Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen then tendered the cabinet's resignation to Queen Margrethe II on 16 September,http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2011-09/16/c_131143125.htm Danish PM tenders resignation to Queen 4 October 2011 21 February 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20140221213513/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2011-09/16/c_131143125.htm dead following which she met with the various parties and tasked Social Democrat leader Helle Thorning-Schmidt with the formation of a new government. Rasmussen's cabinet would remain in office as a caretaker government until 3 October, when Thorning-Schmidt's cabinet, announced on 2 October, would be sworn in making her the country's first ever female Prime Minister. The Social Liberal Party and the Socialist People's Party also became a part of the governing coalition.https://www.reuters.com/article/denmark-government-idUSL5E7L10J120111001 Reuters John Acher Danish PM-elect seen unveiling govt Sunday -agency 1 October 2011 The new parliament, by law, convened on the first Tuesday in October.October 2011 See also List of members of the Folketing, 2011–2015 References External links Election polling and trends on politiken.dk NSD: European Election Database - Denmark https://web.archive.org/web/20190224134421/http://www.nsd.uib.no/european_election_database/country/denmark/ 24 February 2019 publishes regional level election data; allows for comparisons of election results, 1990–2011 General General Category:Folketing elections