Danish parliamentary election, 5 June 2019

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Author (Corporate)
Publication Date 2019
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Summary:

Reports, analyses and information relating to the legislative election held in Denmark in June 2019, as well as information relating to the aftermath and formation of government.

Further information:

A parliamentary election was called by the Prime Minister to elect all 179 members of the Folekting, the unicameral Parliament - 175 in mainland, two in the Faroe Islands and two in Greenland. This election was held only a few days after another election took place in the country.

Immigration and the environment were noted by analysts as key issues in the electoral campaign. A restrictive migration policy collected the support of all major parties, except for the far-left parties. Pre-electoral polls suggested a clear victory for the progressive 'Red Bloc', which brings together the left-wing parties. According tho those polls, the Social Democrats would win the election and be in a position to form a minority government. Incumbent liberals (Venstre) would come in second place, followed by the far-right Danish People's Party (DF). A number of new political actors in the far-right also emerged in the polls within a chance of winning seats in Parliament.

The Social Democrats eventually won the parliamentary election (25.9%) but failed to decisively increase their share of votes from the previous election. The Liberals performed better than expected by analysts (23.4%) and became the party with the highest seat gains. Despite being the third most voted party, the DF collapsed and lost over half of its seats in Parliament. With no party collecting a parliamentary majority, negotiations were expected between the Social Democrats and their traditional left-wing allies. Some analysts suggested there was a chance the winning party could shift to cooperate with centrist and centre-right parties instead.

On 26 June, an agreement was reached between the Social Democrats, the centrist Social-Liberal Party and the leftist Socialist People's Party and Red-Green Alliance for parliamentary support to a minority centre-left government.

Related Links
Commentary and Analysis
IFES Election Guide: Election for Danish Parliament http://www.electionguide.org/elections/id/3154/
Politico: Poll of Polls for the 2019 Danish parliamentary election https://www.politico.eu/2019-european-elections/denmark/
Wikipedia: 2019 Danish general election https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_Danish_general_election
LSE: EUROPP Blog, 25/03/2019: Out of the liberal policy morass? How Denmark’s Social Democrats might reshape the country’s approach to immigration https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2019/03/25/out-of-the-liberal-policy-morass-how-denmarks-social-democrats-might-reshape-the-countrys-approach-to-immigration/
The Guardian, 11/05/2019: Mette Frederiksen: the anti-immigration left leader set to win power in Denmark https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/may/11/denmark-election-matte-frederiksen-leftwing-immigration
The Copenhagen Post, 19/05/2019: 2019 General Election key battleground issues: Education http://cphpost.dk/news/2019-general-election-key-battleground-issues-education.html
Open Europe: Blog, 20/05/2019: Migration dominates the general election in Denmark https://openeurope.org.uk/today/blog/migration-dominates-the-general-election-in-denmark/
Robert Schuman Foundation: Analysis, 28/05/2019: The Social Democratic Left, favourite in the general elections in Denmark https://www.robert-schuman.eu/en/eem/1822-the-social-democratic-left-favourite-in-the-general-elections-in-denmark
Euro|topics, May 2019: The Danish Social Democrats's fight for power https://www.eurotopics.net/en/220867/
Euronews, 03/06/2019: Denmark general election 2019: How are people planning to vote ahead of the June 5 poll? https://www.euronews.com/2019/06/03/denmark-general-election-2019-how-are-people-planning-to-vote-ahead-of-the-june-5-poll
Politico, 04/06/2019: Polls show Danish center left set to oust Rasmussen government https://www.politico.eu/article/danish-center-left-to-oust-rasmussen/
The Economist, 04/06/2019: Under left or right, Denmark is set to adopt ever harsher policies against migrants https://www.economist.com/europe/2019/06/04/under-left-or-right-denmark-is-set-to-adopt-ever-harsher-policies-against-migrants
New Statesman, 06/06/2019: The Danish election doesn’t prove that the left should embrace anti-immigration policies https://www.newstatesman.com/world/europe/2019/06/danish-election-doesn-t-prove-left-should-embrace-anti-immigration-policies
Open Europe: Blog, 06/06/2019: The Social Democrats have won Denmark’s general election – now for the hard part https://openeurope.org.uk/today/blog/the-social-democrats-have-won-denmarks-general-election-now-for-the-hard-part/
Euro|topics, June 2019: Are Denmark's Social Democrats a good role model? https://www.eurotopics.net/en/221211/
Robert Schuman Foundation, 11/06/2019: The left-wing forces ahead in the general elections in Denmark https://www.robert-schuman.eu/en/eem/1826-the-left-wing-forces-ahead-in-the-general-elections-in-denmark
Amnesty International, 26/06/2019: Denmark: Government commitment to amend rape law is a hard-won victory https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2019/06/denmark-government-commitment-to-amend-rape-law-is-a-hard-won-victory/
Euro|topics, June 2019: Denmark: government prioritises climate policy https://www.eurotopics.net/en/222444/
Euro|topics, July 2019: Denmark: big fuss over pregnant culture minister https://www.eurotopics.net/en/222854/

News
The Local (Denmark): Election 2019 https://www.thelocal.dk/tag/election+2019
Reuters, 06/05/2019: New far-right party seen entering Danish parliament - opinion poll https://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKKCN1SC0YQ
Politico, 07/05/2019: Denmark to hold election on June 5 https://www.politico.eu/article/denmark-to-hold-election-on-june-5-lars-lokke-rasmussen/
Bloomberg, 07/05/2019: Danish PM Calls Election That Polls Show He Is Set to Lose https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-05-07/denmark-s-prime-minister-calls-general-election-for-june-5
France24, 07/05/2019: Danish PM calls election for June 5 https://www.france24.com/en/20190507-danish-pm-calls-election-june-5
Bloomberg, 27/05/2019: Danish Election Bets Just Got Upended After Surprise EU Results https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-05-27/danish-election-bets-just-got-upended-after-surprise-eu-results
Reuters, 29/05/2019: Danes make welfare a hot election issue as cracks show in Nordic model https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-denmark-election-welfare-insight/danes-make-welfare-a-hot-election-issue-as-cracks-show-in-nordic-model-idUKKCN1SZ0II
Reuters, 31/05/2019: Danish Muslims feel backlash as immigration becomes election issue https://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKKCN1T111Z
EUObserver, 31/05/2019: Vestager takes centre-stage in Danish election fight https://euobserver.com/news/145048
Politico, 04/06/2019: Danish left set for immigrant pushback payoff https://www.politico.eu/article/danish-left-social-democrats-immigrant-pushback-election-2019/
The Guardian, 04/06/2019: Denmark's centre-left set to win election with anti-immigration shift https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jun/04/denmark-centre-left-predicted-win-election-social-democrats-anti-immigration-policies
Deutsche Welle, 04/06/2019: Denmark's left heads right in general election https://p.dw.com/p/3JoH0
The New York Times, 04/06/2019: Denmark Faces an Election Fueled by Anger on Climate and Immigration https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/04/world/europe/denmark-election-climate-immigration.html
EurActiv, 05/06/2019: Denmark’s Social Democrats set to win election on anti-immigration platform https://www.euractiv.com/section/elections/news/denmarks-social-democrats-set-to-win-election-on-anti-immigration-platform/
The Guardian, 05/06/2019: Centre-left Social Democrats victorious in Denmark elections https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jun/05/centre-left-social-democrats-set-to-win-in-denmark-elections
Reuters, 05/06/2019: Danish center-left opposition wins election on welfare pledges https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN1T62BI
EUObserver, 06/06/2019: Danish left sweeps to victory, with tough migration policy https://euobserver.com/political/145099
Reuters, 06/06/2019: Danish leader sees slow talks to form government after vote win https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN1T71SG
EurActiv, 06/06/2019: Social Democrats win Danish general election https://www.euractiv.com/section/elections/news/social-democrats-win-danish-general-election/
France24, 06/06/2019: Denmark's centre-left opposition wins election https://www.france24.com/en/20190606-denmarks-centre-left-opposition-wins-election
Euronews, 06/06/2019: Denmark election: Opposition red bloc wins election as right wing parties flounder https://www.euronews.com/2019/06/05/denmark-election-first-exit-poll-shows-red-bloc-set-to-win
BBC News, 06/06/2019: Denmark election: Social Democrats win as PM admits defeat https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-48535939
Deutsche Welle, 26/06/2019: Denmark's youngest prime minister to lead new government https://p.dw.com/p/3L62b
Politico, 26/06/2019: Social Democrats form government in Denmark https://www.politico.eu/article/mette-frederiksen-social-democrats-form-government-in-denmark/
The Local (Denmark), 26/06/2019: Frederiksen to become Denmark's youngest PM after left-wing parties reach deal https://www.thelocal.dk/20190626/frederiksen-to-become-danish-prime-minister-as-agreement-reached-between-left-wing-parties
Euronews, 26/06/2019: Denmark forms leftist government with youngest prime minister https://www.euronews.com/2019/06/26/denmark-forms-leftist-government-with-youngest-prime-minister
Copenhagen Post, 26/06/2019: Mette finally made it: Denmark to get a new prime minister http://cphpost.dk/news/mette-made-it-denmark-has-a-new-prime-minister.html
The Guardian, 26/06/2019: Denmark's youngest prime minister to lead new leftist government https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jun/26/denmarks-youngest-prime-minister-leads-new-leftist-government
EurActiv, 26/06/2019: New Danish government puts climate change centre stage https://www.euractiv.com/section/climate-environment/news/new-danish-government-puts-climate-change-centre-stage/
Reuters, 27/06/2019: Denmark's new Social Democratic prime minister names government https://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKKCN1TS0SR
BBC News, 27/06/2019: Danish PM Frederiksen takes power and joins Nordic swing to left https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-48784508
Copenhagen Post, 27/06/2019: New Danish government to focus heavily on climate strategy http://cphpost.dk/news/new-danish-government-to-focus-heavily-on-climate-strategy.html

Official
The Danish Parliament: General election in Denmark 2019 https://www.thedanishparliament.dk/en/news/2019/05/general-election-2019
OSCE: ODIHR: Danish General Elections, 5 June 2019 https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/denmark/419759
European Council: Letter of congratulations from President Donald Tusk to Mette Frederiksen on her appointment as Prime Minister of Denmark, 27 June 2019 https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2019/06/27/letter-of-congratulations-from-president-donald-tusk-to-mette-frederiksen-on-her-appointment-as-prime-minister-of-denmark/

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