Denmark
Denmark is a parliamentary democracy with a limited constitutional monarchy, in which the monarch’s role is purely ceremonial. It performs in the high-range across all categories of the Global State of Democracy (GSoD) framework and scores in the top 25 per cent of countries in all factors. The Nordic nation did not experience significant changes in any GSoD category between 2018 and 2023. The territory of the country, the colloquial Community of the Realm, further extends to two autonomous regions – Greenland and the Faroe Islands. Denmark has an advanced, regulated and service-based market economy, with a strong industrial production, based on a social welfare model.
After the Viking Age, the Kalmar Union in 1392 united Denmark (including Greenland and Iceland), Norway, and Sweden under the Danish crown, until 1523 when Sweden broke away. In 1849, King Frederik VII signed the first Constitution, transitioning Denmark from absolute to constitutional monarchy and introducing democratic elections. The Danish political process can be characterized by decentralization, consensus politics, and the prevalence of minority coalition governments. This long tradition of minority governments may be further distinguished by its comparative stability and ability to pass legislation. Although Denmark saw its first bipartisan government in over four decades following the 2022 general elections, political power tends to oscillate between the center-right and the center-left. While this structure of national political competition was originally largely driven by class relations and an urban-rural divide, it now also includes new issue-areas such as immigration and integration, (the depth of) relations with the EU, and the environment.
Tryghed – the framing of security issues by Danish political leaders in a way that goes beyond mere fearmongering – is a unique Danish discourse that has re-emerged in response to the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine and the securitization of migration. Immigration policy has become a critical issue in Denmark's multicultural landscape, evident in its tightening of restrictions, shift from refugee integration to repatriation, and the controversial "Ghetto Package". Denmark has transitioned from having the ‘most people friendly’ immigration policies to those of hostility, designating areas as “parallel societies” depending on their percentage of ‘non-Westerners.’ According to International IDEA’s Perceptions of Democracy Survey (PODS), minority groups are significantly more pessimistic than non-minorities that they are better off than their parents. There have also been concerns about structural and systemic discrimination against the Indigenous Inuit community.
Gender Equality is at its highest recorded level in the GSoD, and following the 2022 elections, the Danish Parliament is the closest to gender parity in its history (with 43.4 per cent of elected candidates being women). In 2022, the Danish parliament passed amendments to the Discrimination Act and the Gender Equality Act, expanding safeguards against discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity.
With widespread political trust and consistently high levels of electoral turnout, Danish democracy remains comparatively well-functioning, at least in terms of the state-citizen relationship. Whether this connection is retained through Basic Welfare is an area to watch as Denmark undergoes welfare reforms, the population ages, and welfare provision enters the top three total worries of the population. Another area to watch is Social Group Equality, amid the systemic discrimination felt by those of an ethnic minority background in Denmark, their differing perceptions of democracy and governance, and calls by the Council of Europe to introduce the promised action plan against racism. The balance between Freedom of Religion and Freedom of Expression is also an area to watch in light of legislation passed by the Danish Parliament in 2023 that responds to burnings of the Quran. Overall performance in Civil Liberties ought to be followed given the three-year family reunification timeline for those granted temporary protection, vacillating over the externalization of asylum processing, and facilitating the possibility of forced return.
Last updated: June 2024
https://www.idea.int/democracytracker/
May 2024
New law expands time limit for abortion
The Danish government has reached an agreement with the Socialist Left Party, the Red Green Alliance, the Social Liberal Party and the Alternative Party to raise the limit on abortions from 12 to 18 weeks of pregnancy. The 12-week limit was in place since abortion was made legal in Denmark in 1973 and the new limit is justified as a way to give women more time to receive all information and make a decision. The new law would also allow teenagers from the age of 15, which is also the age of consent, to have an abortion without needing parental permission. The new law will take effect in June 2025, following the government's amendments to the Health Act with the new regulations.
Source: Politico, The Local, the Danish Ministry for the Interior and Health
December 2023
Parliament passes amendments against inappropriate treatment of religiously significant writings
Following Quran-burning incidents and protests, the parliament passed amendments against inappropriate treatment of writings with religious significance for any recognized religious communities, including banning the burning of the Quran. The aim of the new law is to protect national security. Individuals found in violation of this law may be subject to imprisonment for up to two years. The change garnered approval from 94 out of 179 members of the Danish parliament, with 77 votes against. Public acts such as burning, tearing, or defiling religious texts could lead to fines or imprisonment. Additionally, individuals who destroy a holy text on video and share the footage online may also face imprisonment. Critics contend that the legislation restricts freedom of expression.
Sources: Danish joint state legal information system (Retsinformation), Nyheder, Politico, Deutsche Welle, Reuters, International IDEA
September 2023
Presidium allows use of Greenlandic and Faroese in Parliament
On 21 September, the Presidium of the Parliament announced that speeches in Greenlandic and Faroese are permitted in the Parliament’s chamber, if the speech is translated to Danish afterwards. To facilitate the translation, funds will be provided for parliamentarians to hire interpreters. Further, the Parliament website alongside records of relevant debates will be translated and all parliamentary staff will receive training in the two regions’ histories, cultures and politics. The decision comes after Danish-Greenlandic parliamentarian Aki-Matilda Høegh-Dam spoke in Greenlandic during a debate in May, sparking discussion on the language policy of the Parliament. Greenland and the Faroe Islands are autonomous territories within the Kingdom of Denmark, which classifies Danish, Greenlandic and Faroese as official languages. The decision is widely supported among lawmakers, although some hoped for the introduction of simultaneous interpretation, as is done in the Greenlandic parliament.
Sources: DR, Euractiv, Danish Parliament
March 2023
Decision to declare parts of Syria safe endangers refugees
The Syrian province of Latakia, a stronghold of the Bashar al Assad regime, was deemed safe to return to by the Danish Refugee Appeals Board. This means that refugees from this province will have their residence permits revoked. Denmark has revoked 150 residence permits of nationals coming from Damascus since 2019. Denmark is unable to deport these asylum seekers due to lack of diplomatic relations with Syria. Most of these asylum seekers were placed in deportation centers and were left in limbo. Both Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Amnesty International have reported on the human rights abuses and persecution coming from Syrian authorities. HRW has called for the decision to be revoked and has stated the risk in Syria remains high no matter which part the refugees come from.
Sources: Reuters, Human Rights Watch, Berlingske, New York Times
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