Danish parliamentary election, 1973
Encyclopedia
Parliamentary elections were held in Denmark
on 4 December 1973 and in the Faroe Islands
on 13 December. It has since been referred to as the Landslide Election , as five new or previously unrepresented parties won seats, and more than half the members of the parliament were replaced. The Social Democratic Party
, which had led a minority government up until this election, lost a third of their seats. After the election Poul Hartling
, the leader of the liberal Venstre
, formed the smallest minority government in Denmark's history with only 22 seats, supported by the Progress Party
, the Conservative People's Party
, the Social Liberal Party, the Centre Democrats and the Christian People's Party.
Voter turnout was 88.7% in Denmark proper, 54.6% in the Faroe Islands
and 66.0% in Greenland
.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
on 4 December 1973 and in the Faroe Islands
Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands are an island group situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between Scotland and Iceland. The Faroe Islands are a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, along with Denmark proper and Greenland...
on 13 December. It has since been referred to as the Landslide Election , as five new or previously unrepresented parties won seats, and more than half the members of the parliament were replaced. The Social Democratic Party
Social Democrats (Denmark)
The Social Democrats , is a Danish political party committed to the political ideology of social democracy. It is the major coalition partner in Denmark's government since the 2011 parliamentary election, and party leader Helle Thorning-Schmidt is the current Prime Minister of Denmark...
, which had led a minority government up until this election, lost a third of their seats. After the election Poul Hartling
Poul Hartling
Poul Hartling was a Danish diplomat and politician. He was a member of the Liberal Party and served as Prime Minister of Denmark from 1973 to 1975....
, the leader of the liberal Venstre
Venstre (Denmark)
VenstreThe 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. , full name Venstre, Danmarks Liberale Parti , is the largest political party in Denmark...
, formed the smallest minority government in Denmark's history with only 22 seats, supported by the Progress Party
Progress Party (Denmark)
The Progress Party is a political party in Denmark, which was founded in 1972. Its founder, the former lawyer Mogens Glistrup, gained huge popularity in Denmark after he appeared on Danish television, showing that he paid 0 % in income tax...
, the Conservative People's Party
Conservative People's Party (Denmark)
The Conservative People's Party , also known as Conservatives is a Danish political party.-History:The party was founded 1915 based mostly on its predecessor, Højre , but also on the Free Conservatives and a moderate faction of Venstre , the liberals.The party has participated in several coalition...
, the Social Liberal Party, the Centre Democrats and the Christian People's Party.
Voter turnout was 88.7% in Denmark proper, 54.6% in the Faroe Islands
Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands are an island group situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between Scotland and Iceland. The Faroe Islands are a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, along with Denmark proper and Greenland...
and 66.0% in Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
.
Results
| Denmark | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Votes | % | Seats | +/– |
| Social Democratic Party Social Democrats (Denmark) The Social Democrats , is a Danish political party committed to the political ideology of social democracy. It is the major coalition partner in Denmark's government since the 2011 parliamentary election, and party leader Helle Thorning-Schmidt is the current Prime Minister of Denmark... |
783,145 | 25.6 | 46 | –24 |
| Progress Party Progress Party (Denmark) The Progress Party is a political party in Denmark, which was founded in 1972. Its founder, the former lawyer Mogens Glistrup, gained huge popularity in Denmark after he appeared on Danish television, showing that he paid 0 % in income tax... |
485,289 | 15.9 | 28 | New |
| Venstre Venstre (Denmark) VenstreThe 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. , full name Venstre, Danmarks Liberale Parti , is the largest political party in Denmark... |
374,283 | 12.3 | 22 | –8 |
| Danish Social Liberal Party | 343,117 | 11.2 | 20 | –7 |
| Conservative People's Party Conservative People's Party (Denmark) The Conservative People's Party , also known as Conservatives is a Danish political party.-History:The party was founded 1915 based mostly on its predecessor, Højre , but also on the Free Conservatives and a moderate faction of Venstre , the liberals.The party has participated in several coalition... |
279,391 | 9.2 | 16 | –15 |
| Centre Democrats | 236,784 | 7.8 | 14 | New |
| Socialist People's Party Socialist People's Party (Denmark) The Socialist People's Party is a green and socialist political party in Denmark.-1959–69:The SF was founded on 15 February 1959 by Aksel Larsen, a former leader of the Communist Party of Denmark and CIA agent. Larsen was removed from the ranks of the DKP for his criticism over the Soviet... |
183,522 | 6.0 | 11 | –6 |
| Christian People's Party Christian Democrats (Denmark) The Christian Democrats are a political party in Denmark. The party was founded in 1970 to oppose the liberalization of restrictions on pornography and the legalization of abortion.... |
123,573 | 4.0 | 7 | |
| Communist Party of Denmark Communist Party of Denmark Communist Party of Denmark is a communist political party in Denmark which was founded as Venstresocialistiske Parti in 1919. VSP was a split from the Danish Social Democratic Party. The party assumed its present name in 1920... |
110,715 | 3.6 | 6 | |
| Justice Party of Denmark Justice Party of Denmark Danmarks Retsforbund was founded in 1919. The party's platform is based upon the principles of U.S. economist Henry George who advocated a single tax on all land... |
87,904 | 2.9 | 5 | |
| Left Socialists Left Socialists Left Socialists , a political party in Denmark. VS works on what it calls a 'undogmatic revolutionary and Marxist basis'.It was formed in 1967 as a split from the Socialist People's Party . VS was represented by the letter "Y" on the electoral ballots. VS members of parliament were respected and... |
44,843 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Independents | 637 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Invalid/blank votes | 17,050 | – | – | – |
| Total | 3,070,253 | 100 | 175 | 0 |
| Faroe Islands | ||||
| Social Democratic Party Social Democratic Party (Faroe Islands) The Social Democratic Party is a social-democratic, political party in the Faroe Islands, led by Jóannes Eidesgaard.At the legislative elections, 19 January 2008, the party won 19.3% of the popular vote and 6 out of 32 seats.... |
3,772 | 28.6 | 1 | 0 |
| Republican Party Republican Party (Faroe Islands) The Republic is a left-wing political party in the Faroe Islands committed to Faroese Independence. It was founded in 1948 as a reaction to independence not being proclaimed after a public vote on the matter showed a significant plurality for it in 1946.In 1998 Høgni Hoydal succeeded Heini O.... |
3,312 | 25.1 | 1 | New |
| People's Party People's Party (Faroe Islands) The Faroese People's Party – Radical Self-Government is a liberal conservative political party in the Faroe Islands, led by Jørgen Niclasen. One of the four major parties, it's had eight seats in the Løgting since the 2011 election, making it the joint-largest party, but neither of the Faroes'... |
2,690 | 20.4 | 0 | –1 |
| Union Party | 2,533 | 19.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Self-Government Party | 553 | 4.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Progress Party | 258 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Independents | 72 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Invalid/blank votes | 47 | – | – | – |
| Total | 13,237 | 100 | 2 | 0 |
| Greenland | ||||
| Independents | 15,869 | 100 | 2 | 0 |
| Invalid/blank votes | 512 | – | – | – |
| Total | 16,381 | 100 | 2 | 0 |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver | ||||