Venstre (Denmark)

Venstre[note 1] (Danish pronunciation: [ˈvenstʁɐ], literally "left"), full name Venstre, Danmarks Liberale Parti (English: Left, Denmark's Liberal Party), is a conservative-liberal,[2][3][4] agrarian[10] political party in Denmark. Founded as part of a peasants' movement against the landed aristocracy, today it espouses an economically liberal, pro-free-market ideology.[6]

Venstre, Denmark's Liberal Party

Venstre, Danmarks Liberale Parti
LeaderJakob Ellemann-Jensen
Founded1870, total reform in 1910
HeadquartersSøllerødvej 30
2840 Holte
Youth wingVenstres Ungdom
Student wingLiberal Students of Denmark
Membership (2016)35,957[1]
IdeologyConservative liberalism[2][3][4]
Agrarianism[4][5]
Economic liberalism[6]
Political positionCentre-right[7]
European affiliationAlliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe
International affiliationLiberal International
European Parliament groupRenew Europe
Nordic affiliationCentre Group
ColoursBlue
Folketing:
42 / 179
European Parliament:
4 / 14
Regions:[8]
688 / 2,444
Municipalities:[9]
688 / 2,432
Mayors:
37 / 98
Election symbol
V
Website
www.venstre.dk

Venstre is the major party of the centre-right in Denmark, and the second-largest party in the country. The party has produced many Prime Ministers. In the 2019 general elections, Venstre received 23.4% of the vote and 43 out of 179 seats. Its current leader is Jakob Ellemann-Jensen following the resignation of Lars Løkke Rasmussen as chairman on 31 August 2019.[11]

The party is a member of Liberal International and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) and has three MEPs in the European Parliament.[12]

Ideology
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Venstre is categorised as centre-right on the political spectrum.[7] It is a market liberal party[13] within the Nordic agrarian tradition,[14] and today is notably more pro–free market than its sister parties.[15] Some describe it as classical liberal, since its leader from 1998 to 2009, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, is known for his authorship of the book From Social State to Minimal State. His book advocated an extensive reform of the Danish welfare state along classical liberal lines, including lower taxes and less government interference in corporate and individual matters.

Since the elections in 2001, Venstre has enacted a so-called "tax stop" in order to halt the growth in taxes seen during the previous eight years under the Social Democrats. This tax stop has been under heavy fire from the parties on the left wing of Danish politics, allegedly for being "asocial" and "only for the rich."[16][17]

History
Venstre 1945 election material ("Venstre has been dealt a good hand")

1870–1910

Venstre was founded in 1870 under the name Det Forenede Venstre ("The United Left") and originally consisted of multiple conflicting groups, all united under the liberal ideology, the safeguarding of farmers' interests and opposition to the then conservative party Højre (literally "Right"). After the party in 1872 gained an absolute majority in the Folketing, it became the leading voice in the battle for parliamentarism, whereafter the party in 1895 split in two, Venstrereformpartiet ("Venstre Reform Party") and Det Moderate Venstre ("The Moderate Left"). In 1905, social liberal factions split from the party and formed Radikale Venstre (also known as the Danish Social Liberal Party), and in 1910 Venstrereformpartiet and Det Moderate Venstre reunited again under the name Venstre.[18]

1910–2009

With the decreasing numbers of farms and the growing urbanisation, membership and voter support dropped in the 1950s. During the 1960s the party gradually evolved from being a traditional farmers' party to a more general liberal party. In 1984 Uffe Ellemann-Jensen was elected chairman, and by profiling the liberal ideology in sharp confrontation to the Social Democrats, for example by campaigning for a reduction of the public sector, increasing market management and privatisation, and by being pro-EU, the party returned to its historical position as the biggest liberal party in the 1990s.[18]

After a disappointing 1998 general election, Ellemann-Jensen resigned as chairman and Anders Fogh Rasmussen was elected in his place. He immediately changed the party's usual confrontational strategy, instead appealing to the political centre. In the 2001 general elections the party campaigned for tighter immigration policies and a "tax stop", which proved successful and the party once again became the biggest in parliament, winning 31.2% of the vote and 56 seats. Venstre formed a coalition government with the Conservative People's Party and the Danish People's Party. For the first time since 1929 a liberal government was no longer dependent on the centre parties. Despite a small decline in both the 2005 general elections (29% and 52 seats) and the 2007 general elections (26.2% and 46 seats), the party remained the biggest and the coalition government continued.[18]

On 5 April 2009 Fogh Rasmussen resigned as chairman, instead serving as Secretary General of NATO. In his place Lars Løkke Rasmussen was elected.[19]

2009–present

In the 2011 general elections the gained 26.7% of the vote and 47 seats, but was not able to form a government, instead leading the opposition of Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt's Social Democratic coalition.

Even though the party lost voter support in the 2015 general elections, only gaining 19.5% of the vote, the party formed a minority government. This government was short lived, and in 2016 Løkke Rasmussen invited the Conservative People's Party and the Liberal Alliance to form a coalition government instead.[20]

During the campaign of the 2019 general elections Løkke Rasmussen published an autobiography, in which he opened up for the possibility of forming a government with the Social Democrats.[21] This was seen as controversial in the liberal "blue bloc", and Social Democratic leader Mette Frederiksen immediately declined the proposition.[22]

Following internal fighting in the party, Løkke Rasmussen and vice chairman Kristian Jensen both resigned on 31 August 2019. On 21 September 2019 political spokesman and former Minister for Environment and Food Jakob Ellemann-Jensen was elected the party's next chairman.[23]

Prime Ministers

Leaders since 1929
No. Portrait LeaderTook officeLeft officeTime in office
1
Madsen, ThomasThomas Madsen-Mygdal
(1876–1943)		1929194111–12 years
2
Kristensen, KnudKnud Kristensen
(1880–1962)		194119497–8 years
3
Sørensen, EdvardEdvard Sørensen
(1893–1954)		194919500–1 years
4
Eriksen, ErikErik Eriksen
(1902–1972)		195024 May 196514–15 years
5
Hartling, PoulPoul Hartling
(1914–2000)		24 May 1965December 197712 years, 191 days
6
Christophersen, HenningHenning Christophersen
(1939–2016)		September 197823 July 19845 years, 326 days
7
Ellemann, UffeUffe Ellemann-Jensen
(born 1941)		23 July 198418 March 199813 years, 238 days
8
Rasmussen, AndersAnders Fogh Rasmussen
(born 1953)		18 March 199817 May 200911 years, 60 days
9
Rasmussen, LarsLars Løkke Rasmussen
(born 1964)		17 May 200931 August 201910 years, 106 days
–
Jensen, KristianKristian Jensen
(born 1971)
Acting		31 August 201921 September 201921 days
10
Jensen, KristianJakob Ellemann-Jensen
(born 1973)		21 September 2019Incumbent330 days

Origin of the name

The fact that the major centre-right political party in a country calls itself 'Left' is often confusing to foreign (and sometimes Danish) observers. The name has, however, its historical explanation. At the time of its foundation, Venstre affirmed then-progressive ideas in the Danish parliament. Their opponents, Højre (Right), the forerunner of the present-day Conservative People's Party, advocated for established interests, particularly the Church of Denmark and the landed gentry. In current Danish politics there is a clear distinction between the concepts of Venstre (Left, i.e., the party bearing that name) and venstrefløj (left wing, i.e., socialist and other left-leaning parties). The use of the word for "left" in the name of the Danish political party Radikale Venstre and the Norwegian party Venstre is meant to refer to liberalism and not socialism.

Members of the party are referred to as venstremænd and venstrekvinder, respectively "Venstre men" and "Venstre women" (singular: -mand, -kvinde).

Election results

Parliament
Election year # of overall votes % of overall vote % of Danish vote # of overall seats won # of Danish seats won +/- Notes
1872
53 / 104
 New In Det Forenede Venstre.
1873
51 / 104
 2 In Det Forenede Venstre.
1876
74 / 104
 23 In Folketingets Venstre.
1879
65 / 104
 9 In Folketingets Venstre.
1881 (may)
69 / 102
 4 In Folketingets Venstre.
1881 (jul)
75 / 102
 6 In Folketingets Venstre.
1884 80,000 56.3 (#1)
81 / 102
 6 In Venstre Reform Party.
1887 132,000 58.1 (#1)
74 / 102
 7 In Venstre Reform Party.
1890 123,000 53.0 (#1)
75 / 102
 1 In Venstre Reform Party.
1892 63,000 28.1 (#3)
30 / 102
 45 In Venstre Reform Party.
1895 89,530 40.5 (#1)
53 / 114
 23 In Venstre Reform Party.
1898 98,070 43.6 (#1)
63 / 114
 10 In Venstre Reform Party.
1901 103,495 45.9 (#1)
76 / 114
 13 In Venstre Reform Party.
1903 121,357 49.4 (#1)
73 / 114
 3 In Venstre Reform Party.
1906 94,272 31.2 (#1)
56 / 114
 17 In Venstre Reform Party.
1909 77,949 24.0 (#1)
37 / 114
 19 In Venstre Reform Party.
1910 118,902 34.1 (#1)
57 / 114
 20
1913 103,917 28.6 (#2)
44 / 114
 13
1915
43 / 114
 1
1918 269,646 29.4 (#1)
45 / 140
 2
1920 (apr) 350,563 34.2 (#1)
48 / 140
48 / 139
 3
1920 (jul) 344,351 36.1 (#1)
51 / 140
51 / 139
 3
1920 (sep) 411,661 34.0 (#1)
51 / 149
51 / 148
 0
1924 362,682 28.3 (#2)
44 / 149
44 / 148
 7
1926 378,137 28.3 (#2)
46 / 149
46 / 148
 2
1929 402,121 28.3 (#2)
43 / 149
43 / 148
 3
1932 381,862 24.7 (#2)
38 / 149
38 / 148
 5
1935 292,247 17.8 (#2)
28 / 149
28 / 148
 10
1939 309,355 18.2 (#2)
30 / 149
30 / 148
 2
1943 376,850 18.7 (#3)
28 / 149
28 / 148
 2
1945 479,158 23.4 (#2)
38 / 149
38 / 148
 10
1947 529,066 25.4 (#2)
46 / 150
46 / 149
 8
1950 438,188 21.3 (#2)
32 / 151
32 / 149
 14
1953 (apr) 456,896 22.1 (#2)
33 / 151
33 / 149
 1
1953 (sep) 499,656 23.1 (#2)
42 / 179
42 / 175
 9
1957 578,932 25.1 (#2)
45 / 179
45 / 175
 3
1960 512,041 21.1 (#2)
38 / 179
38 / 175
 7
1964 547,770 20.8 (#2)
38 / 179
38 / 175
 0 leading the opposition
1966 539,027 19.3 (#2)
35 / 179
35 / 175
 3 leading the opposition
1968 530,167 18.6 (#3)
34 / 179
34 / 175
 1 part of the Social Liberal-led government
1971 450,904 15.6 (#3)
30 / 179
30 / 175
 4 part of the opposition
1973 374,283 12.3 (#3)
22 / 179
22 / 175
 8
1975 711,298 23.3 (#2)
42 / 179
42 / 175
 20
1977 371,728 12.0 (#3)
21 / 179
21 / 175
 21
1979 396,484 12.5 (#2)
22 / 179
22 / 175
 1
1981 353,280 11.3 (#4)
20 / 179
20 / 175
 2
1984 405,737 12.1 (#3)
22 / 179
22 / 175
 2
1987 354,291 10.5 (#4)
19 / 179
19 / 175
 3
1988 394,190 11.8 (#4)
22 / 179
22 / 175
 3
1990 511,643 15.8 (#3)
29 / 179
29 / 175
 7
1994 775,176 23.3 (#2)
42 / 179
42 / 175
 13
1998 817,894 24.0 (#2)
42 / 179
42 / 175
 0
2001 1,077,858 31.2 (#1)
56 / 179
56 / 175
 14 leading of the government coalition
2005 974,636 29.0 (#1)
52 / 179
52 / 175
 4 leading of the government coalition
2007 908,472 26.2 (#1)
46 / 179
46 / 175
 6 leading of the government coalition
2011 947,725 26.7 (#1)
47 / 179
47 / 175
 1 leading the opposition
2015 685,188 19.5 (#3)
34 / 179
34 / 175
 13 2015–16: single-party minority government
2016– : coalition minority government
2019 825,486 23.4 (#2)
43 / 179
43 / 175
 9 leading the opposition

Municipal elections
Election Seats
# ±
1925
2,291 / 11,289
 New
1929
2,615 / 11,329
 324
1933
2,692 / 11,424
 77
1937
2,374 / 11,425
 318
1943
2,217 / 10,569
 157
1946
2,519 / 11,488
 302
1950
2,342 / 11,499
 177
1954
2,353 / 11,505
 11
1958
2,405 / 11,529
 52
1962
2,196 / 11,414
 209
1966
1,747 / 10,005
 449
1970
1,080 / 4,677
 667
1974
1,277 / 4,735
 197
1978
1,155 / 4,759
 122
1981
1,240 / 4,769
 85
1985
1,201 / 4,773
 39
1989
1,261 / 4,737
 60
1993
1,601 / 4,703
 340
1997
1,557 / 4,685
 44
2001
1,666 / 4,647
 109
2005
804 / 2,522
 862
2009
699 / 2,468
 105
2013
767 / 2,444
 68
2017
688 / 2,432
 79

Regional elections
Date Votes Seats
# ±
1935 217,375
124 / 299
 New
1943 300,241
123 / 299
 1
1946 368,040
139 / 299
 16
1950 348,861
128 / 299
 11
1954 355,295
127 / 299
 1
1958 412,111
135 / 303
 8
1962 387,628
127 / 301
 8
1966 402,574
115 / 303
 12
1970 449,479
95 / 366
 20
1974 400,062
98 / 370
 3
1978 411,812
90 / 370
 8
1981 457,565
84 / 370
 6
1985 418,149
83 / 374
 1
1989 451,807
89 / 374
 6
1993 717,536
125 / 374
 36
1997 665,857
124 / 374
 1
2001 963,220
139 / 374
 15
2005 744,466
60 / 205
 79
2009 648,903
54 / 205
 6
2013 809,664
62 / 205
 8
2017
54 / 205
 8

European Parliament
Election year # of votes % of votes # of seats won +/- Notes
1979 252,767 14.5 (#3)
3 / 16
1984 248,397 12.5 (#4)
2 / 16
 1
1989 297,565 16.6 (#3)
3 / 16
 1
1994 394,362 19.0 (#1)
4 / 16
 1
1999 460,834 23.4 (#1)
5 / 16
 1
2004 366,734 19.4 (#2)
3 / 14
 2
2009 474,041 20.2 (#2)
3 / 13
 0
2014 379,840 17.7 (#3)
2 / 13
 1
2019 648,203 23.5 (#1)
4 / 14
 2

Youth and student wings

See also

Footnotes
  1. The party name is officially not translated into any other language, but is in English often referred to as the Liberal Party. Similar rules apply for the name of the party's youth wing Venstres Ungdom.

References
  1. "Hvor mange medlemmer har de politiske partier?". Folketinget.
  2. Emil Joseph Kirchner; Alistair H. Thomas (1988). Liberal Parties in Western Europe. Cambridge University Press. p. 280. ISBN 978-0-521-32394-9. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
  3. Hans Slomp (2011). Europe, A Political Profile: An American Companion to European Politics: An American Companion to European Politics. ABC-CLIO. pp. 415, 420. ISBN 978-0-313-39182-8. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
  4. Nordsieck, Wolfram (2019). "Denmark". Parties and Elections in Europe.
  5. Svante Ersson; Jan-Erik Lane (1998). Politics and Society in Western Europe. SAGE. p. 108. ISBN 978-0-7619-5862-8. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
  6. Åsa Bengtsson; Kasper Hansen; Ólafur Þ Harõarson; Hanne Marthe Narud; Henrik Oscarsson (2013). The Nordic Voter: Myths of Exceptionalism. ECPR Press. p. 206. ISBN 978-1-907301-50-6.
  7. Josep M. Colomer (2008). Political Institutions in Europe. Routledge. p. 260. ISBN 978-1-134-07354-2.
  8. "AKVA3: Valg til regions råd efter område, parti og stemmer/kandidater/køn". Statistics Denmark. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
  9. "VALGK3: Valg til kommunale råd efter område, parti og stemmer/kandidater/køn". Statistics Denmark. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
  10. Nanna Kildal; Stein Kuhnle (2007). Normative Foundations of the Welfare State: The Nordic Experience. Routledge. p. 74. ISBN 978-1-134-27283-9.
  11. Kristiansen, Cecilie Lund; Larsen, Johan Blem (August 31, 2019). "Lars Løkke trækker sig som Venstres formand". Politiken (in Danish). Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  12. "Europavalg". DR. Archived from the original on April 1, 2012. Retrieved June 7, 2009.
  13. Dimitri Almeida (2012). The Impact of European Integration on Political Parties: Beyond the Permissive Consensus. Routledge. p. 98–. ISBN 978-0-415-69374-5.
  14. Almeida, Dimitri. "Liberal Parties and European Integration" (PDF).
  15. Esaiasson, Peter; Heidar, Knut (1999). Beyond Westminster and Congress: the Nordic experience. Columbus: Ohio State University Press. p. 377. ISBN 978-0-8142-0839-7.
  16. "Kritik af skattereform: De rige vinder og de fattige taber". www.bt.dk. February 24, 2009.
  17. "AE: Skattestop forgylder de rige". Politiken. September 4, 2002.
  18. Bille, Lars; Rüdiger, Mogens. "Venstre". danmarkshistorien.dk (in Danish). Retrieved September 3, 2019.
  19. Lund, Kenneth (April 5, 2009). "Anders Fogh er trådt tilbage". Politiken (in Danish). Retrieved September 6, 2019.
  20. Bille, Lars; Bille, Mogens (February 2, 2009). "Venstre | Gyldendal - Den Store Danske". denstoredanske.dk (in Danish). Retrieved September 6, 2019.
  21. "Løkke åbner for SV-regering efter valget". DR (in Danish). Retrieved September 6, 2019.
  22. "Mette Frederiksen afviser Løkke: SV-regering kan ikke komme på tale". DR (in Danish). Retrieved September 6, 2019.
  23. "Jakob Ellemann-Jensen er valgt som Venstres nye formand". Politiken (in Danish). September 21, 2019. Retrieved September 21, 2019.

Further reading
  • Tom Matz (2004), Venstre ved du hvor du har (in Danish). ForlagsKompagniet: Nørhaven Book.
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