Red-Green Alliance (Denmark)
Encyclopedia
The Red-Green Alliance (Enhedslisten, lit. The Unity List) is a socialist
political party
in Denmark
.
(VS), Communist Party of Denmark
(DKP) and Socialist Workers Party
(SAP). Originally the plan was to unite these parties alongside the Green Party
(De Grønne), Common Course
and Humanist to form a broad-based progressive movement, but this did not materialize. A fourth party, the Communist Workers Party
(KAP), joined Enhedslisten in 1991. One year earlier the entrance of KAP was vetoed by DKP. KAP was dissolved in 1994.
Prior to the 2007 parliamentary election
, the party enlisted Asmaa Abdol-Hamid
, a candidate who identifies herself as a Muslim
and a socialist. She is endorsed by some imams, opposed by others (including those in Hizb-ut-Tahrir), wears an islamic headscarf and will not shake hands with men. These facts, and some of her statements regarding politics and religion, made her the target of much criticism from across the political spectrum. Prominent left wing figures also cited her candidacy as a reason for withdrawing their support from the party. An anti-religious network was created within the party with the stated goal of turning the party into a solely atheist
party with a materialist
–Marxist
basis.
During the campaigning there was some speculation as to whether her candidacy would attract or repel voters.
The results of the election were 2.2% for the party, down from 3.4% in the 2005 parliamentary elections
. Although not elected, Abdol-Hamid maintained that she had attracted voters to the party. The four seats won by the party went to Frank Aaen
, Johanne Schmidt-Nielsen
, Line Barfod
, and Per Clausen. Asmaa Abdol-Hamid was chosen as substitute for the frontrunner of Enhedslisten in the parliament.
In the 2011 parliamentary election, the party received 6.7% of the votes and went from 4 to 12 seats.
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Denmark
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...
.
History
The party was formed in 1989 as an electoral alliance by three left-wing parties, Left SocialistsLeft 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...
(VS), 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...
(DKP) and Socialist Workers Party
Socialist Workers Party (Denmark)
Socialist Workers Party , a Trotskyist political party in Denmark. SAP is the Danish section of the Fourth International, and was founded in 1980 as a continuation of Revolutionære Socialisters Forbund - Revolutionary Socialists' League....
(SAP). Originally the plan was to unite these parties alongside the Green Party
De Grønne
De Grønne is a Danish green party. It was founded in October 1983. It was a founding member of the European Green Party.In 2008 the party was expelled from the EGP...
(De Grønne), Common Course
Common Course
Common Course was a political party in Denmark, which held 4 seats in the Danish parliament Folketinget 1987-1988. It was officially formed in 1986, but it was built on several fractions of the Communist Party of Denmark emerging in 1979 already...
and Humanist to form a broad-based progressive movement, but this did not materialize. A fourth party, the Communist Workers Party
Communist Workers Party (Denmark)
Communist Workers Party was a Danish Maoist political party founded in 1976 and dissolved in 1994. Members of KAP integrated into The Red-Green Alliance.-Publications:...
(KAP), joined Enhedslisten in 1991. One year earlier the entrance of KAP was vetoed by DKP. KAP was dissolved in 1994.
Prior to the 2007 parliamentary election
Danish parliamentary election, 2007
The 66th Folketing election in Denmark was held on 13 November 2007. The election allowed prime minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen to continue for a third term in a coalition government consisting of the Liberals and the Conservative People's Party with parliamentary support from the Danish People's...
, the party enlisted Asmaa Abdol-Hamid
Asmaa Abdol-Hamid
Asmaa Abdol-Hamid is an Arab-Danish social worker and politician living in Odense.- Family background :Abdol-Hamid is one of seven children. She was born in the United Arab Emirates to parents of Palestinian descent. Her father grew up in a Lebanese refugee camp. Her mother's family also lived...
, a candidate who identifies herself as a Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
and a socialist. She is endorsed by some imams, opposed by others (including those in Hizb-ut-Tahrir), wears an islamic headscarf and will not shake hands with men. These facts, and some of her statements regarding politics and religion, made her the target of much criticism from across the political spectrum. Prominent left wing figures also cited her candidacy as a reason for withdrawing their support from the party. An anti-religious network was created within the party with the stated goal of turning the party into a solely atheist
Atheism
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...
party with a materialist
Dialectical materialism
Dialectical materialism is a strand of Marxism synthesizing Hegel's dialectics. The idea was originally invented by Moses Hess and it was later developed by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels...
–Marxist
Marxism
Marxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
basis.
During the campaigning there was some speculation as to whether her candidacy would attract or repel voters.
The results of the election were 2.2% for the party, down from 3.4% in the 2005 parliamentary elections
Danish parliamentary election, 2005
Parliamentary elections were held in Denmark on 8 February 2005. Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen's Venstre retained the largest number of seats in parliament. The governing coalition between the Venstre and the Conservative People's Party remained intact, with the Danish People's Party...
. Although not elected, Abdol-Hamid maintained that she had attracted voters to the party. The four seats won by the party went to Frank Aaen
Frank Aaen
Frank Aaen is a Danish economist and Member of Parliament for Enhedslisten. On 15 March 2006, he suffered a thrombosis, but was back in the Folketing by April. He has been a member of parliament from 1994 to 2001 and 2005 to the present.- References :*. Folketinget....
, Johanne Schmidt-Nielsen
Johanne Schmidt-Nielsen
Johanne Schmidt-Nielsen is a member of the Danish parliament for the Red-Green Alliance, and a member of the executive committee of the party...
, Line Barfod
Line Barfod
Line Barfod is a member of the Folketing for Enhedslisten.Line Barfod is the daughter of retired assistant librarian Werner Brandstrup Andreasen and social worker Åse Barfod. Married to Klaus Hansen...
, and Per Clausen. Asmaa Abdol-Hamid was chosen as substitute for the frontrunner of Enhedslisten in the parliament.
In the 2011 parliamentary election, the party received 6.7% of the votes and went from 4 to 12 seats.
Membership
| 1992 | 1.082 | .... |
| 1993 | 999 | -7,7% |
| 1994 | 1.093 | +9,4% |
| 1995 | 1.189 | +8,8% |
| 1996 | 1.282 | +7,8% |
| 1997 | 1.479 | +15,4% |
| 1998 | 2.023 | +36,8% |
| 1999 | 1.968 | -2,7% |
| 2000 | 1.945 | -1,1% |
| 2001 | 1.992 | +2,4% |
| 2002 | 2.366 | +18,8% |
| 2003 | 2.321 | -1,9% |
| 2004 | 2.524 | +8,7% |
| 2005 | 3.739 | +48,1% |
| 2006 | 4.127 | +10,4% |
| 2007 | 4.099 | -0,7% |
| 2008 | 4.336 | +5,8% |
| 2009 | 4.373 | +0,9% |
| 2010 | 5.111 | +16,9% |