2001 Danish general election

General elections were held in Denmark on 20 November 2001.[1] For the first time since the 1924 elections, the Social Democrats did not win the most seats. Anders Fogh Rasmussen of the centre-right Venstre became Prime Minister in coalition with the Conservative People's Party, as the head of the first Rasmussen government, with the support from Danish People's Party.

2001 Danish general election
Danish Realm
20 November 2001

All 179 seats in the Folketing
90 seats needed for a majority
Turnout87.15%
PartyLeader % Seats +/–
Venstre Anders Fogh Rasmussen 31.25 56 +14
Social Democrats Poul Nyrup Rasmussen 29.08 52 -11
DPP Pia Kjærsgaard 12.00 22 +9
Conservatives Bendt Bendtsen 9.07 16 0
SF Holger K. Nielsen 6.37 12 -1
Social Liberals Marianne Jelved 5.19 9 +2
Red–Green Collective leadership 2.40 4 -1
KrF Jann Sjursen 2.28 4 0
Elected in the Faroe Islands
Union Kaj Leo Johannesen 27.31 1 +1
Republican Høgni Hoydal 24.92 1 +1
Elected in Greenland
Inuit Ataqatigiit Josef Motzfeldt 30.83 1 +1
Siumut Hans Enoksen 25.94 1 0
Prime Minister before PM-elect
Poul Nyrup Rasmussen
Social Democrats
Anders Fogh Rasmussen
Venstre

The coalition relied on the votes of other right-wing parties such as the Danish People's Party, which polled better than ever before. Voter turnout was 87.1% in Denmark proper, 80.0% in the Faroe Islands and 61.5% in Greenland.[2] The Venstre led coalition government would last until the 2011 election, lasting through two intermediate elections.

The election marked a major shift in Danish politics: It was the first time that the right leaning parties held an outright majority in the parliament since the beginning of the modern democratic system in Denmark in 1901;[3] although right leaning parties had held power several times, they had always had to share power with more centrist or left-wing parties in coalition governments, such as the Danish Social Liberal Party. Historian Bo Lidegaard said that the vote showed a move away from broad national consensus which had existed since the 1930s regarding the style of governance in Denmark. One of the most important changes that forced the change was the rise of immigration as a political issue and the ensuing rise of the Danish People's Party.[3] Immigration played a central role in the 2001 campaign and was thrust into focus by the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States, although it had been gaining attention for years.[3]

Results

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Denmark proper
Venstre1,077,85831.2556+14
Social Democrats1,003,32329.0852–11
Danish People's Party413,98712.0022+9
Conservative People's Party312,7709.07160
Socialist People's Party219,8426.3712–1
Danish Social Liberal Party179,0235.199+2
Red–Green Alliance82,6852.404–1
Christian People's Party78,7932.2840
Centre Democrats61,0311.770–8
Progress Party19,3400.560–4
Independents1,0160.0300
Total3,449,668100.001750
Valid votes3,449,66898.99
Invalid/blank votes35,2471.01
Total votes3,484,915100.00
Registered voters/turnout3,998,95787.15
Faroe Islands
Union Party7,20827.311+1
Republican Party6,57824.921+1
Social Democratic Party6,18723.440–1
People's Party5,41720.520–1
Centre Party5692.160New
Self-Government4341.6400
Total26,393100.0020
Valid votes26,39399.60
Invalid/blank votes1050.40
Total votes26,498100.00
Registered voters/turnout33,10680.04
Greenland
Inuit Ataqatigiit7,17230.831+1
Siumut6,03325.9410
Atassut5,13822.090–1
Independents4,91721.1400
Total23,260100.0020
Valid votes23,26097.65
Invalid/blank votes5592.35
Total votes23,819100.00
Registered voters/turnout38,71061.53
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

See also

References

  1. Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p525 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7
  2. Nohlen & Stöver, p549
  3. Lidegaard, Bo (2011). En Fortælling om Danmark i det 20. Århundrede (in Danish). Copenhagen: Gyldendal. p. 428.
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