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Venstre (Denmark)
Encyclopedia
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
. (ˈʋɛnsdʁɐ, literally "left"), full name Venstre, Danmarks Liberale Parti (Left, Liberal Party of Denmark), is the largest political party
in Denmark
. Founded with a basis on pro-free market
liberalism
, it is the major party on the centre-right
of the political spectrum
. The party formerly governed in coalition with the Conservative People's Party
, with support from the Danish People's Party
.
In the 2011 parliamentary elections, Venstre received 26.7% of the vote, and 47 out of 179 seats. It is led by Lars Løkke Rasmussen
, who took over as party leader and Prime Minister
from Anders Fogh Rasmussen
in 2009.
Venstre is a liberal party within the Nordic agrarian
tradition, but is notably more pro-free market than its sister parties. 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. In later years, Anders Fogh Rasmussen has drifted away from his earlier views and has called liberalism an outdated ideology.
The party is a member of Liberal International
and the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party
. Three of Denmark's thirteen MEPs are from Venstre, and they sit with the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe
group in the European Parliament
.
Venstre, or "the Left" in English, was founded in 1870 under the name Det Forenede Venstre (The United Left). It was formed through the merger of three parliamentary factions, all of whom had identified as leftist in the context of the time. From 1895-1910 it was known as Venstrereformpartiet (Left Reform Party), and after that as Venstre.
Venstre was traditionally a party advocating free trade and farmers' interests. This traditional landed basis resulted in a relative decline in influence due to the rapidly accelerating urbanisation of Danish society. Starting in the 1880s, the party began expanding into urban regions as well.
By the 1910s, the splitting off of the Social Liberals and the appearance of the Social Democrats had pushed Venstre toward the centre, and it often relied on its former Conservative adversaries for parliamentary support. After the 1960s Venstre was reoriented as a more classical liberal party. During the leadership of Anders Fogh Rasmussen
, the party turned further to the right.
. 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).
. 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."
Attempts to control the growth in public expenditures, have however, been less successful than originally hoped by the party. Public spending
has continued to increase by approximately 1% above inflation, per year.
In 2004, two small tax cuts went into effect:
First, people with jobs get a 3% tax reduction on the 5% "bottom tax" . This initiative is supposed to encourage people to go off welfare, and take jobs instead.
Second, the bottom limit of the "middle tax" of 6%, is raised by 12,000 Danish Krone
r every year, over the next four years. This will limit the income stresses of middle incomes and families with children.
Venstre has so far refrained from making statements on the future of the "top tax" (Danish: Topskat) of 15%, and the Value Added Tax
(Danish: "Moms") of 25%.
The income tax in Denmark ranges from [9%-44%] for ultra low income families to [44%-62%] progressively for middle class families. 850,000 Danes (31% of everyone employed) pay a marginal income tax of 62% although the overall effective rate will be lower.
Venstres Ungdom
Venstres Ungdom is the youth wing of the Danish Liberal Party Venstre. The ideology of Venstre is centre-right...
. (ˈʋɛnsdʁɐ, literally "left"), full name Venstre, Danmarks Liberale Parti (Left, Liberal Party of Denmark), is the largest 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...
. Founded with a basis on pro-free market
Free market
A free market is a competitive market where prices are determined by supply and demand. However, the term is also commonly used for markets in which economic intervention and regulation by the state is limited to tax collection, and enforcement of private ownership and contracts...
liberalism
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
, it is the major party on the centre-right
Centre-right
The centre-right or center-right is a political term commonly used to describe or denote individuals, political parties, or organizations whose views stretch from the centre to the right on the left-right spectrum, excluding far right stances. Centre-right can also describe a coalition of centrist...
of the political spectrum
Political spectrum
A political spectrum is a way of modeling different political positions by placing them upon one or more geometric axes symbolizing independent political dimensions....
. The party formerly governed in coalition with 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...
, with support from the Danish People's Party
Danish People's Party
The Danish People's Party is a political party in Denmark which is frequently described as right-wing populist by political scientists and commentators. The party is led by Pia Kjærsgaard...
.
In the 2011 parliamentary elections, Venstre received 26.7% of the vote, and 47 out of 179 seats. It is led by Lars Løkke Rasmussen
Lars Løkke Rasmussen
Lars Løkke Rasmussen is a Danish politician who served as Prime Minister of Denmark from April 2009 to October 2011. He is the leader of the centre-right liberal party, Venstre....
, who took over as party leader and Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Denmark
The Prime Minister of Denmark is the head of government in Danish politics. The Prime Minister is traditionally the leader of a political coalition in the Folketing and presides over the cabinet....
from Anders Fogh Rasmussen
Anders Fogh Rasmussen
Anders Fogh Rasmussen is a Danish politician, and the 12th and current Secretary General of NATO. Rasmussen served as Prime Minister of Denmark from 27 November 2001 to 5 April 2009....
in 2009.
Venstre is a liberal party within the Nordic agrarian
Nordic Agrarian parties
The Nordic agrarian parties, or Nordic Centre parties, are agrarian political parties that belong to a political tradition peculiar to the Nordic countries...
tradition, but is notably more pro-free market than its sister parties. Some describe it as classical liberal
Classical liberalism
Classical liberalism is the philosophy committed to the ideal of limited government, constitutionalism, rule of law, due process, and liberty of individuals including freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and free markets....
, since its leader from 1998 to 2009, Anders Fogh Rasmussen
Anders Fogh Rasmussen
Anders Fogh Rasmussen is a Danish politician, and the 12th and current Secretary General of NATO. Rasmussen served as Prime Minister of Denmark from 27 November 2001 to 5 April 2009....
, is known for his authorship of the book From Social State to Minimal State
From Social State to Minimal State
From Social State to Minimal State is a book written by Anders Fogh Rasmussen. Published in 1993, the future Danish Prime Minister laid out his classical liberal views that Denmark should transition from a welfare state into a low-tax economy, and how he believed it should be done.Rasmussen was a...
. His book advocated an extensive reform of the Danish welfare state
Welfare state
A welfare state is a "concept of government in which the state plays a key role in the protection and promotion of the economic and social well-being of its citizens. It is based on the principles of equality of opportunity, equitable distribution of wealth, and public responsibility for those...
along classical liberal lines, including lower taxes and less government interference in corporate and individual matters. In later years, Anders Fogh Rasmussen has drifted away from his earlier views and has called liberalism an outdated ideology.
The party is a member of Liberal International
Liberal International
Liberal International is a political international federation for liberal parties. Its headquarters is located at 1 Whitehall Place, London, SW1A 2HD within the National Liberal Club. It was founded in Oxford in 1947, and has become the pre-eminent network for liberal parties and for the...
and the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party
European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party
The European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party is a European political party mainly active in the European Union, composed of 56 national-level liberal and liberal-democratic parties from across Europe...
. Three of Denmark's thirteen MEPs are from Venstre, and they sit with the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe
Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe
The Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe is the current liberal/centrist political group of the European Parliament...
group in the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
.
History
Venstre was traditionally a party advocating free trade and farmers' interests. This traditional landed basis resulted in a relative decline in influence due to the rapidly accelerating urbanisation of Danish society. Starting in the 1880s, the party began expanding into urban regions as well.
By the 1910s, the splitting off of the Social Liberals and the appearance of the Social Democrats had pushed Venstre toward the centre, and it often relied on its former Conservative adversaries for parliamentary support. After the 1960s Venstre was reoriented as a more classical liberal party. During the leadership of Anders Fogh Rasmussen
Anders Fogh Rasmussen
Anders Fogh Rasmussen is a Danish politician, and the 12th and current Secretary General of NATO. Rasmussen served as Prime Minister of Denmark from 27 November 2001 to 5 April 2009....
, the party turned further to the right.
List of government participation
- 1901-1909 (as the Venstre Reform Party)
- 1910-1913
- 1920-1924
- 1926-1929
- 1945-1947
- 1950-53 with the Conservative People's Party
- 1968-71 with the Conservative People's Party and the Danish Social Liberal Party
- 1973-75
- 1978-79 with the Social Democratic Party
- 1982-88 with the Conservative People's Party, Centre Democrats, and the Christian People's Party (junior partner)
- 1988-90 with the Conservative People's Party and Social Liberal Party (junior partner)
- 1990-93 with the Conservative People's Party
- 2001-11 with the Conservative People's Party (senior partner)
Prime Ministers
- Johan Henrik DeuntzerJohan Henrik DeuntzerJohan Henrik Deuntzer was a Danish politician, member of the Liberal Venstre party until 1905 where he joined the Danish Social Liberal Party...
(July 24, 1901 – January 14, 1905) - Jens Christian Christensen (January 14, 1905 – October 12, 1908)
- Niels NeergaardNiels NeergaardNiels Thomasius Neergaard was a Danish historian and political figure, a member of the Liberal Moderate Venstre and since 1910 of Venstre...
(October 12, 1908 – August 16, 1909) - Ludvig Holstein-LedreborgLudvig Holstein-LedreborgJohan Ludvig Carl Christian Tido lensgreve Holstein til Ledreborg was a Danish politician, a descendant of Johan Ludvig Holstein-Ledreborg, who was Minister of State of Denmark. He was Council President of Denmark for two months, from 16 August to 28 October 1909, as the leader of the Cabinet of...
(August 16, 1909 – October 28, 1909) - Klaus BerntsenKlaus BerntsenKlaus Berntsen was a Danish politician, representing the Liberal party, Venstre. He was Council President of Denmark from 5 July 1910 to 21 June 1913 as the leader of the Cabinet of Klaus Berntsen...
(July 5, 1910 – June 21, 1913) - Niels NeergaardNiels NeergaardNiels Thomasius Neergaard was a Danish historian and political figure, a member of the Liberal Moderate Venstre and since 1910 of Venstre...
(May 5, 1920 – April 23, 1924) - Thomas Madsen-MygdalThomas Madsen-MygdalThomas Madsen-Mygdal was Prime Minister of Denmark from 14 December 1926 to 30 April 1929, as leader of a Liberal Party government...
(December 14, 1926 – April 30, 1929) - Knud KristensenKnud KristensenKnud Kristensen was Prime Minister of Denmark 7 November 1945 to 13 November 1947 in the first elected government after the German occupation of Denmark during World War II. After the October 1945 election Knud Kristensen formed the Cabinet of Knud Kristensen, a minority government consisting...
(November 7, 1945 – November 13, 1947) - Erik EriksenErik EriksenErik Eriksen is a former Prime Minister of Denmark. Eriksen was leader of the Danish Liberal party Venstre from 1950 to 1965. He served as Prime Minister of Denmark from 30 October 1950 to 30 September 1953 as leader of the Cabinet of Erik Eriksen forming a minority government of Venstre and the...
(October 30, 1950 – September 30, 1953) - Poul HartlingPoul HartlingPoul 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....
(December 19, 1973 – February 13, 1975) - Anders Fogh RasmussenAnders Fogh RasmussenAnders Fogh Rasmussen is a Danish politician, and the 12th and current Secretary General of NATO. Rasmussen served as Prime Minister of Denmark from 27 November 2001 to 5 April 2009....
(November 27, 2001 – April 5, 2009) - Lars Løkke RasmussenLars Løkke RasmussenLars Løkke Rasmussen is a Danish politician who served as Prime Minister of Denmark from April 2009 to October 2011. He is the leader of the centre-right liberal party, Venstre....
(April 5, 2009 – September 15, 2011)
Leaders since 1929
- 1929-1941, Thomas Madsen-MygdalThomas Madsen-MygdalThomas Madsen-Mygdal was Prime Minister of Denmark from 14 December 1926 to 30 April 1929, as leader of a Liberal Party government...
(1876–1943) - 1941-1949, Knud KristensenKnud KristensenKnud Kristensen was Prime Minister of Denmark 7 November 1945 to 13 November 1947 in the first elected government after the German occupation of Denmark during World War II. After the October 1945 election Knud Kristensen formed the Cabinet of Knud Kristensen, a minority government consisting...
(1880–1962) - 1949-1950, Edvard SørensenEdvard SørensenNiels Edvard Sørensen was a Danish politician representing the Liberal party, Venstre. He served briefly as party chairman 1949 – 1950.Sørensen was born in Lindbjerg near Randers...
(1893–1954) - 1950-1965, Erik EriksenErik EriksenErik Eriksen is a former Prime Minister of Denmark. Eriksen was leader of the Danish Liberal party Venstre from 1950 to 1965. He served as Prime Minister of Denmark from 30 October 1950 to 30 September 1953 as leader of the Cabinet of Erik Eriksen forming a minority government of Venstre and the...
(1902–1972) - 1965-1977, Poul HartlingPoul HartlingPoul 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....
(1914–2000) - 1977-1984, Henning ChristophersenHenning ChristophersenHenning Christophersen is a Danish politician, a former vice-president of the European Commission , former leader of the Danish liberal party Venstre and former member of the European Convention....
(b. 1939) - 1984-1998, Uffe Ellemann-JensenUffe Ellemann-JensenUffe Ellemann-Jensen was Minister for Foreign Affairs of Denmark in the Conservative led Poul Schlüter Administration 1982–1993. He was leader of the Danish Liberal Party, Venstre 1984–1998 and President of the European Liberals 1995–2000...
(b. 1941) - 1998-2009, Anders Fogh RasmussenAnders Fogh RasmussenAnders Fogh Rasmussen is a Danish politician, and the 12th and current Secretary General of NATO. Rasmussen served as Prime Minister of Denmark from 27 November 2001 to 5 April 2009....
(b. 1953) - 2009- , Lars Løkke RasmussenLars Løkke RasmussenLars Løkke Rasmussen is a Danish politician who served as Prime Minister of Denmark from April 2009 to October 2011. He is the leader of the centre-right liberal party, Venstre....
(b. 1964)
Origin of the name
The fact that the major liberal political party in a country calls itself 'Left' is often confusing to many foreign (and sometimes Danish) observers. The name has, however, its historical explanation. At the time of its foundation, Venstre affirmed progressive ideas in the then Danish parliament. Their opponents, Højre (Right), was the forerunner of the present Conservative People's PartyConservative 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...
. 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
Det Radikale Venstre
The Danish Social Liberal Party is a social liberal political party in Denmark. The party is a member of Liberal International and the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party.-Origin:...
and the Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
party Venstre
Venstre (Norway)
The Liberal Party is a centrist liberal political party in Norway. The party is the oldest in the country, and has enacted reforms such as parliamentarism, freedom of religion, universal suffrage and free education. Since 2010, the leader of the party is Trine Skei Grande...
is meant to refer to liberalism
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
and not socialism
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,...
.
Members of the party are referred to as Venstremænd and Venstrekvinder, respectively "Venstre Men" and "Venstre Women" (singular: -mand / -kvinde).
Tax policy
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 DemocratsSocial 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...
. 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."
Attempts to control the growth in public expenditures, have however, been less successful than originally hoped by the party. Public spending
Government spending
Government spending includes all government consumption, investment but excludes transfer payments made by a state. Government acquisition of goods and services for current use to directly satisfy individual or collective needs of the members of the community is classed as government final...
has continued to increase by approximately 1% above inflation, per year.
In 2004, two small tax cuts went into effect:
First, people with jobs get a 3% tax reduction on the 5% "bottom tax" . This initiative is supposed to encourage people to go off welfare, and take jobs instead.
Second, the bottom limit of the "middle tax" of 6%, is raised by 12,000 Danish Krone
Danish krone
The krone is the official currency of the Kingdom of Denmark consisting of Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland. It is subdivided into 100 øre...
r every year, over the next four years. This will limit the income stresses of middle incomes and families with children.
Venstre has so far refrained from making statements on the future of the "top tax" (Danish: Topskat) of 15%, and the Value Added Tax
Value added tax
A value added tax or value-added tax is a form of consumption tax. From the perspective of the buyer, it is a tax on the purchase price. From that of the seller, it is a tax only on the "value added" to a product, material or service, from an accounting point of view, by this stage of its...
(Danish: "Moms") of 25%.
The income tax in Denmark ranges from [9%-44%] for ultra low income families to [44%-62%] progressively for middle class families. 850,000 Danes (31% of everyone employed) pay a marginal income tax of 62% although the overall effective rate will be lower.
Youth and student wings
- Venstres UngdomVenstres UngdomVenstres Ungdom is the youth wing of the Danish Liberal Party Venstre. The ideology of Venstre is centre-right...
- Liberal Students of DenmarkLiberal Students of DenmarkThe Liberal Students of Denmark is a political student organization, with chapters in the major Danish university cities of Copenhagen, Aarhus, Odense and Aalborg. It was founded November 14, 1910, making it one of Denmark's oldest student organizations...
(Danmarks Liberale Studerende)
See also
- LiberalismLiberalismLiberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
- Contributions to liberal theoryContributions to liberal theoryIndividual contributors to classical liberalism and political liberalism are associated with philosophers of the Enlightenment. Liberalism as a specifically named ideology begins in the late 18th century as a movement towards self-government and away from aristocracy...
- Liberalism worldwideLiberalism worldwideThis article gives information on liberalism in diverse countries around the world. It is an overview of parties that adhere more or less to the ideas of political liberalism and is therefore a list of liberal parties around the world....
- List of liberal parties
- Liberal democracyLiberal democracyLiberal democracy, also known as constitutional democracy, is a common form of representative democracy. According to the principles of liberal democracy, elections should be free and fair, and the political process should be competitive...
- Liberalism and radicalism in DenmarkLiberalism and radicalism in DenmarkThis article gives an overview of liberalism and radicalism in Denmark. It is limited to liberal and radical egalitarian parties with substantial support, mainly proved by having had a representation in parliament. The sign ⇒ denotes another party in that scheme...
Literature
- Tom Matz (2004), Venstre ved du hvor du har . ForlagsKompagniet: Nørhaven Book.
External links
Venstre official site- Denmark's Liberal Party presentation in English Party Profile from the newspaper Politiken