History

Last election results

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 representation 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 either pass the threshold, 2% of the national vote, or gain a district seat to gain any supplemental seats. Though possible, it's very rare for a party to gain a district seat without getting 2% of the national vote.
• 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 hasn't 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 doesn't 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's caught, 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're 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've 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, for example a short resolution which addresses the subject and directs the relevant minister to propose a bill concerning it.

List of Speakers of the Folketing

Further Information

Get more info on 'Folketinget'.