Danish Election 2011

[Tommy4ever]

Denmark just had an election and it seems that the right wing government has been ever so narrowly defeated by a coalition of left wing parties (I'm using that term rather loosely in some cases) led by the Social Democrats.

Aside from this the there seems to have been a marginal gain in votes for the left wing parties (Socialist People's Party and Red-Green Alliance) with their share of the vote rising from 15.2% to 15.9%. In most places left wing parties have been losing ground so thats nice to see.

The most interesting thing about the left wing parties was the fact that the apparently slightly more radical Red-Green Alliance (I'll admit I don't know much about Danish politics, so I may have this dynamic wrong) gained significantly as it trebled its vote whilst the Socialist People's Party lost a large portion of its vote - about the same amount as the Red-Green Alliance gained. Indeed, whilst the SPP has always been much larger the two parties seem to be pretty close now in overall size.

If anyone cares, the most leftwing of the Greenlander parties gained like 10% too.

[Crux]

The Red-Green Alliance is certainly more radical than the Socialist People's Party, who as of late has suffered from a case of "law and order" and "defend danish culture" populism. Not to say there aren't socialists in SPP but the party and the party leadership in particular have been heading down a very bad road lately, giving in to the prevailing mood in the media.

The Red-Green allaince will also, unlike the SPP, stay out of the social-democratic government. The most likely government seems to be Soc. dems, SPP and Radical Left (who incidentally are social liberals, the main rightwing-liberal government party are called the Left), with outside support from the red-green unity list. But both the soc dem's and the SPP (!) made overtures to the racist Danish People's party just prior to the election, trying to make som kind of a deal with them.

[Smyg]

If anyone cares, the most leftwing of the Greenlander parties gained like 10% too.

In Greenland, the pro-independence and socialist Inuit Ataqatigiit (Community of the People) got 42.7% of the votes, and the social democratic Siumut (Forward) got 37.1%. The social liberal/liberal Demokraatit (Democrats) got 12.6%, and the conservative/agrarian Atassut (Feeling of Community) a mere 7.5%.

From the 2007 parliamentary elections, this is a 9.2% increase for the the Community of the People, 5.4% increase for Forward, 3.6% decrease for the Democrats and a wonderful 11.4% decrease for the Feeling of Community. While the Greenlanders only get 2 parliamentary seats out of a total of 179, this is still a nice development for the island.

[Obs]

I know I'm gonna get called a reformist for this, but I'm fucking psyched about the election turning out this way. Workers' rights have been stagnating for the past ten years, and having a pushover social democrat government as well as a strong Unity List could very well lead to rolling back some of the assaults on workers we've seen under the previous government.

[EvilRedGuy]

Sure, its getting a LITTLE bit better for the working class here, but still, NO SHIT is gonna change from bourgeois politics. I vote on Enhedslisten because on their site they mention things like letting the working class seize the MoP from corporations, classwar is womanwar(feminism), and of course ALOT better economic, equal, and immigrant politics. So i got the feeling that they are a Democratic Socialist party like Venezuela, but im not sure. Really happy that the blue idiots led by that fascist idiot (Pia Kjærsgaard) is gone though. But if Enhedslisten ever got the power it would definitely improve worker's standard of living so i vote on them, but yeah... Fuck bourgeois politics.

EDITED: Removed the word, sorry.

[Crux]

As can be seen from this graph (http://jp.dk/indland/indland_politik/article2549237.ece) there was a gain across the board for Enhedslisten/red and green unity list. Not only the drop for the SPP, but the experience in the rest of scandinavia with the reformist left parties losing votes when they try to appease the socdems. The norwegian Socialist Left for example fell down to 4% just above the threshold to still sit in parliament, this after, as a junior partner in the soc. dem/centerparty government, among other thing's selling out on their opposition to the war in Afghanistan. The story is similar in sweden and finland. I think there is a lesson to be learned here. So far only norway and denmark have any significant left-of-the-left Alliances/parties, hopefully we will see something develop in Sweden and Finland as well.

[Obs]

that fascist ***** (Pia Kjærsgaard)
Dude I hate her too, but she is not a fascist, and sexism ain't cool.

[Smyg]

Unlike the Sweden Democrats, DF doesn't seem to have an origin in Nazism and Neo-Nazism, and their politics are national conservative. Describing the Danish People's Party - or their leaders - as fascist is not only incorrect, but also lessens the meaning of the word.

And yes, sexism really isn't cool.

[EvilRedGuy]

Racism, Nationalism, Fascism, call it what you want. And "*****" isn't sexist its a name of a female dog and animals don't have the intelligence to complain.

EDIT: again sorry for using the word...

[EvilRedGuy]

Unlike the Sweden Democrats, DF doesn't seem to have an origin in Nazism and Neo-Nazism, and their politics are national conservative. Describing the Danish People's Party - or their leaders - as fascist is not only incorrect, but also lessens the meaning of the word.

And yes, sexism really isn't cool.


Really? I heard they originated from the Nazi colonization?

[Obs]

Really? I heard they originated from the Nazi colonization?
They were founded in 1995 and are something of an advanced stage of Fremskridtspartiet, which was founded in 1975. So, no. Also, "*****" is a sexist word to use, since it's solely used as an insult to refer to women, and racism is not the same as fascism.

[Smyg]

As I said, they don't seem to have such an origin - in other words, I've never read or heard anything indicating so. I'm most likely wrong, as usual.

[Sentinel]

Really happy that the blue idiots led by that fascist ***** (Pia Kjærsgaard) is gone though.

While there is nothing wrong with your sentiment, comrade, we don't use that word here.

Verbal warning for sexist language.

[Red Commissar]

I don't really have an opinion on the results per say, but it is good I think that a group like the Danish People's Party won't be having direct influence on government policy any longer. I wonder though if this government will take a stand against the policies the People's Party helped introduce, or if it'll keep them there.

[EvilRedGuy]

Well, me and most other in my class are tired of Socialdemokraterne and SF because they aren't as radical anymore thats why we vote on Enhedslisten(Unit List). And now Radikale Venstre (Radical Left, are Social Liberals) seems to have more influence so fuck it all, but even if they weren't the majority i doubt SF and Socialdemokraterne would promise most of what they hold. And Folkesocialisme(Popular Socialism) have shown to be nothing more than a left-socialdemocracy under socialist rhetoric and socialdemocrats in Denmark are people who never gets their promises done, like those on the blue side (all kinds of liberals/conservatives/racists/nationalists/centrists/socialdemocracies, no difference at all!) I guess we just need to wait and watch and see if they are going to do it good, but practices of the paste have proven not...

[Sentinel]

I don't really have an opinion on the results per say, but it is good I think that a group like the Danish People's Party won't be having direct influence on government policy any longer. I wonder though if this government will take a stand against the policies the People's Party helped introduce, or if it'll keep them there.

At least the Social Democrats have expressed that they want to keep the racist laws. There was some speculation in Swedish newspapers yesterday, however, that Enhedslisten and another party that opposes them (I think it was the right wing 'Radikale Venstre' but I'm not sure) might put pressure on them about them.

I'm not sure how realistic that actually having an impact is, though. Perhaps some danish comrade knows better?

[Wubbaz]

At least the Social Democrats have expressed that they want to keep the racist laws. There was some speculation in Swedish newspapers yesterday, however, that Enhedslisten and another party that opposes them (I think it was the right wing 'Radikale Venstre' but I'm not sure) might put pressure on them about them.

I'm not sure how realistic that actually having an impact is, though. Perhaps some danish comrade knows better?

The Socialist People's Party (although limited), Red-Green Alliance and Social Liberal Party have all expressed their will to 'roll back' some of the tight immigration policies that the liberal government has been making the last 10 years. Sadly, I very much doubt that any major changes in the immgration policy will happen, as these 3 parties are rather small ( 48 mandates out of 179 ), and their ability to change the immigration politics will be very limited. The only scenario in which the immigration policies would be made more soft, would be in some kind of "trade-off" deal between these 3 parties and the Social Democrats.

TL;DR - Not realistic.

Just to add my thoughts on the new government. This new government is highly unstable and will require that all parties involved move closer to each other politically. If they don't, this government wont be decide on anything and will, in the end, quickly be required to post a new election.

[Kiev Communard]

The so-called "Socialist People's Party" is actually anti-migrant/"law-and-order" right-wing opportunists, while the Social-Democratic leader proclaimed herself to be in favour of austerity measures package, so I do not think there are any grounds to celebrate here. The bourgeois elections are just as incapable of providing for the workers' power, as the old estate-based institutions of absolutist era were unsuitable for bourgeois rule.

[Crux]

Denmark

Right-wing government loses power after ten years

19/09/2011
Red-Green Alliance trebles its vote
Mattias Bernhardsson, Rättvisepartiet Socialisterna (CWI Sweden)
http://www.socialistworld.net/img/20110919Grafik6910679898102780241.jpg
Last Thursday night, 15 September, it became clear that in Denmark’s general election the right-wing government of Lars Lokke Rasmussen had lost power even though not by a large margin. It had consisted of the Liberal Party and the Conservatives with the racist Danish People’s Party as a support party. The Social Democrats, under their leader Helle Thorning-Schmidt, are now to form a new coalition after ten years out of government. Negotiations mean they are likely to rule in coalition with the Social Liberal Party and the Socialist People’s Party, with the Red Green Alliance as a likely support party.



The Social Democrats actually had their worst election for100 years and one of their allies, the Socialist People’s Party, also went down. However, they can still form a government due to the increased number of votes for the Social Liberals and the Red Green Alliance.



The Red-Greens were the only ones to challenge right wing capitalist policies and racism. They achieved an all time high, increasing their representation from four seats to twelve with a total of 6.7 percent of the votes. In the working class district of Nørrebro in Copenhagen they increased their vote from 12 to 27 percent.



After ten years with the outgoing right-wing government, people had had enough. In August, a study showed that inequality in Denmark has increased dramatically. In seven years the number of poor people in Denmark increased by 108,000 people. At the same time, almost all parties, even the the Socialist People’s Party, let the racist Danish People’s Party set the agenda with its defence of the notorious ‘Muhammad Caricatures’ as a main issue in the political debate, alongside laws against veils and extreme anti-immigration rules. During the election campaign, the Socialist People’s Party showed themselves open to the idea of "practical cooperation" with the Danish People’s Party.



But in the election campaign itself, the immigration and integration issues did not dominate; it was rather the economy, jobs and welfare. Most analysts were talking in advance about the new government not being likely to involve any change of course, either in economic policy or immigration policy. This was confirmed by the in-coming Social Democratic prime minister, Helle Thorning-Smith. Before the election, the Social Liberals made a contract with the right-wing government to ‘reform’ (attack) pensions, early retirement and unemployment benefits. Despite this, the Social Democrats will now do everything possible to get the Social Liberals on board, alongside the Socialist People’s Party.



The composition and policies of the Social Democraitc coalition suggests that the joy of having struck down the old right-wing government could quickly turn into disappointment. The new government, for example, will launch an additional hour of work per worker per week to pay for the crisis. Unemployment is increasing and in the coming year, 38,000 long term unemployed will lose their benefits.

http://www.socialistworld.net/img/article/2011-09-19Grafik4191370597262252786.jpg Red Green Alliance supporters





The Red Greens are ready to support the new government. However while its formation can be supported now in order to keep out the right, this backing must not extend to the pro-capitalist policies which the Social Democrat leaders are sure to pursue. If, as indicated, Red Green leaders are even prepared to take ministerial posts, this will be further proof of a turn to the right in their policies. "We have shown that it pays to innovate without compromising our principles,” says Frank Aan, a politician of the Copenhagen Enhedslisten (Red-Green Alliance) to the newspaper Politiken. He explains how they have become more ’concrete’: "Instead of saying that the rich should pay, we say now that tax cuts must be rolled back. Instead of saying that the banks should be nationalised, we say now that we are against aid packages to the banks".



However, within the Red-Greens there are broad layers that are critical of the rightward course of the party. They want to push the party towards intervening in, and supporting, the struggles from below of workers and youth. The much increased electoral support for the Red-Greens in itself shows that people want a real change. The new coalition may not last long given the thin majority (of five seats) and the developing problems in the economy. Precisely these problems mean that Denmark is entering a new period which would provide fertile ground for developing a real alternative left workers’ party.

[Smyg]

It's great, although I honestly have a hard time believing that the change will affect much. The red-green side feels very similar to the blue.

[EvilRedGuy]

Yeah i don't think Bourgeois politics is going to change anything, but damn i'd rather have Enhedslisten(Unit List, Red-Green) grow as the biggest party than anyone else. Anyone here read the program on their site? Why do they mention class war and woman's struggle if they aren't exactly democratic socialists? Or are they? I hate socialist rhetoric under capitalist banner.

[Rufio]

I heard the left parties described as the 'Trotskyist bloc' (by a relative left winger, as opposed to the social democrat bloc) and that they'd be part of the government - although from what I read after that the second part is not true - and I'm not sure about the first part - the next government will probably need some support from the left.

I don't know enough about these parties, only what I've read on here and on wikipedia, and I know not everyone shares this opinion but it does please me to see countries edging leftwards, and while of course socialism won't be achieved through the ballot box an electorally succesful socialist party or parties should or at least could be a step along the path towards revolution. If these are truly socialist parties, of course.

Edit I thought I was in the other thread about this...

[Crux]

Yeah, on second thought I think this thread can be merged with the other danish election thread.