Denmark is a Scandinavian country with a peninsular stretching from mainland Europe called Jutland and a number of islands. Its Jutland peninsula is bordered with Germany, and Denmark has a bridge that connects to Sweden from its Amager island, the country of Norway is above Denmark across the Skagerrak Strait but they are not connected, Denmark has many coasts along and islands in the North Sea, Kattegat Strait and Baltic Sea. The capital city Copenhagen is found across both Zealand and Amager islands close to the bridge with Sweden. Denmark also administers the Faroe Islands (located between the United Kingdom and Iceland between the North Atlantic Ocean and Norwegian Sea) and Greenland (a large island, in fact the world’s largest island, located between Canada and Iceland), both of those territories are autonomous self-governing.
Denmark emerged as a unified kingdom in the 8th Century. Denmark, along with Sweden and Norway were all ruled together under one sovereign leader under the Kalmar Union which was established in 1397, Sweden later succeeded from the union via a rebellion in 1523 leaving Denmark-Norway as a union. During the 17th Century Denmark-Norway lost a lot of territory to the Swedish Empire and the Napoleonic Wars led to Norway being ceded to Sweden while Denmark kept the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Iceland. In 1864 the Duchy of Schleswig in the Jutland peninsula was lost to Prussia due to wars from nationalist movements, after World War 1 the Treaty of Versailles had the region hold two referendums, one in the south and one in the north of Schleswig which led to its partition between Germany and Denmark.
Denmark’s 1849 constitution ended the absolute monarchy and introduced a constitutional monarchy parliamentary democracy. During World War 2 Nazi Germany invaded Denmark despite a non-aggression pact and occupied it, until it was liberated in 1945, during that time Iceland had declared independence in 1944 after a referendum due to the Act of Union agreement expiring and the Faroe Islands became self-governing in 1948 while Greenland gained self-rule only as recently as 2009 after a referendum in 2008.
Interesting fact: The United States of America have expressed interest in buying Greenland (and also previously Iceland as well) from Denmark on numerous occasions but have been denied each time, although Denmark does allow them to have an overseas military base on Greenland.
The official language is Danish and other recognized languages include Faroese, Greenlandic and German. The largest religion is Christianity (Church of Denmark) and its currency is the Danish krone, the country voted against adopting the Euro in 2000. Denmark’s population is estimated to reach 5,869,410 by July 2020 according to the CIA World Factbook.
Government Type
As mentioned above Denmark is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy system with a ceremonial Monarch who is Head of State and a Prime Minister who is Head of Government and there is a unicameral parliament that makes up legislative government. Multiple parties are allowed.
Monarchy and Executive Government
The Danish Monarch is Head of State which is currently a Queen (Margrethe II) and it is mostly a ceremonial figurehead position (with the executive government and legislative chamber having more power and freedom) but the Monarch does have certain limited powers guided and allowed by the country’s constitution to help fulfill required jobs.
Ascension to the Throne
The system of inheritance of the throne has it so that the eldest child of the Monarch (either male or female, not the male taking precedence) will ascend to the throne as King or Queen upon the sitting Monarch’s death or abdication. The Monarch or their successor is of age at the age of 18. If there is ever a point where there is no successor to the Monarch after they have died/abdicated etc. then the Folketing (country’s unicameral parliament) will elect a new Monarch and establish the order of succession to the Throne.
Monarch Powers and Limitations
The Monarch cannot rule in other countries without the consent of the Folketing. Members of the royal family may be granted annuities by Statute which will not be enjoyed outside of the Realm unless the Folketing gives consent.
The Monarch exercises their powers allowed by the constitution through the Prime Minister and other Ministers. The Monarch appoints the Prime Minister which by convention is from the largest party or the person with the most confidence among the Folketing after parliamentary elections. The Monarch appoints the Ministers of Government and decides their number on advice from the Prime Minister, the Monarch can remove and replace Ministers on advice of the Prime Minister.
The Monarch’s signature on legislation and government actions will require the signature of Prime Minister and/or Ministers in order to have effect, those that sign will be held responsible for the resolution.
The Monarch represents the country in international affairs but requires the consent of the Folketing on things such as increase or decrease in territory; any obligation that requires consent from the Folketing and cannot terminate an international treaty without consent from the Folketing.
The Monarch may cause bills and other measures to be introduced to the Folketing.
The Monarch has the prerogative of mercy and can grant amnesty. Granting of pardons to Ministers from the sentences imposed on them by the High Court of the Realm requires the consent of the Folketing.
The Monarch may either directly or through the correct government authorities make grants or grant such exemptions from the Statutes either warranted under the rules existing before 5th June, 1849, or have been warranted by a Statute passed since that date.
The Monarch is the Commander-in-Chief of the country’s armed forces, they cannot use the armed forces against any foreign state without consent from the Folketing unless it is for the purposes of defense against an armed attack upon the Realm or Danish Forces. Any measures taken by the Monarch will be notified to the Folketing immediately and if they are not in session they will be convoked with immediate effect.
Privy Council
The Ministers form the Council of State (Monarch’s Privy Council) where the Successor to the Throne also has a seat as long as they are of age. The Monarch presides over the Council of State. The Council of State discusses bills and decides on giving them assent (with the signature of the Monarch and council members) and important matters of Government, if the Monarch is unable to hold a Council of State the matter of subject may be delegated to a Council of Ministers instead by the Monarch, where the Prime Minister will preside and inform the Monarch of what happened and the outcome, and the Monarch will decide to consent or hold a Council of State on the matter instead.
The Council of State also acts as the Cabinet of the Executive Government, at least officially, although ministers will hold meetings for ease in other ways.
Emergency Provisions
Emergency provisions in case the Folketing is unable to assemble allows the Monarch to issue provisional laws as long as they are not at variance with the Constitution Act. Upon the eventual assembling of the Folketing the provisional laws will be submitted to them for approval or rejection.
Executive Government
The executive Government is made up of the Prime Minister as Head of Government and the Ministers of Government responsible to their various duties and departments and responsible to holding the confidence of the Folketing. The executive government such as its Prime Minister and Ministers determine governing policy and ensure implementation of legislation passed by the Folketing.
The Prime Minister at the first meeting of the sessional year of the Folketing will render an account of the general state of the country and measures proposed by the Government and will become a subject of general debate in the Folketing.
On foreign affairs the Government must first consult with the Committee of Foreign Affairs in the Folketing before making any major decision.
Any power moved from the Realm to an international authority via mutual agreement requires a five-sixths majority of members of the Folketing to consent to such a bill but if that is unable to be reached but still has a simple majority and if the Government so chooses they can bring the Bill to a national referendum for consent or rejection.
Legislative Government
Legislative Government is made up of a unicameral chamber that is the Folketing with its main job being the introduction of legislation, debating it, amending it and passing or rejecting the legislation which will if passed go on for assent and the passing of the Finance Bill for the next Financial Year. The chamber is also tasked with holding the Government to account. The Folketing has a set number of 179 members including two members elected from the Faroe Islands and two elected from Greenland.
Functioning and Structure
The Folketing can appoint Committees that are elected by proportional representation by the Folketing members. These Committees enable functioning of the Folketing and can also be formed for investigating matters of general importance with power to demand written and oral information from private citizens and public authorities.
After parliamentary elections the Folketing elects a President and Vice-Presidents of the Folketing. The President of the Folketing convenes its meetings and states the Order of the Day and the President regulates debates and makes sure chamber rules are followed. The President may convene a meeting of the Folketing at the request of the Prime Minister or the request of at least two-fifths of the Folketing’s members.
Ministers who are not also members of the Folketing can still attend its sessions and address the Folketing during debates but they cannot vote in the Folketing.
On a bill that has been passed by the Folketing, one-third of members can come forth to request a referendum on the bill for further approval, decided by the Prime Minister. Certain bills cannot be put to referendum such as mostly money bills and bills for discharging existing treaty obligations.
Taxes cannot be imposed, altered or repealed or public loan raised unless by Statute.
The Folketing can hold a vote of Censure against a Minister which if successful will lead to them being replaced, they can also go a step further and hold a vote of confidence on the Government or Prime Minister, either way if the confidence vote does not go in favour of the Prime Minister or Government then they must collectively resign and an attempt to form a new Government will happen or a General Election may instead happen and the current Government will remain in place as caretaker until then.
Ministers can also be impeached by the Monarch or Folketing for maladministration of office which is tried by the High Court of the Realm.
The Judicial System
The High Court of the Realm includes up to 15 members of the eldest via seniority of office of the ordinary members of the highest court of justice of the Realm and then an equal number of members elected for 6-year terms by the Folketing via proportional representation. Each member of that court also has a substitute elected as well. Members elect a President of the High Court of the Realm from among themselves.
This High Court of the Realm will try charges brought against Ministers either by the Monarch or the Folketing. With the consent from the Folketing the Monarch can also bring others before the court who the Monarch deems to be particularly dangerous to the state from crimes they have committed.
All judges of other courts are appointed by the Monarch.
The Electoral System
Parliamentary elections take place every 4-years to elect the 179 members of the Folketing. Members are elected from multi-seat constituencies using a proportional representation system where parties that reach a 2% vote threshold will be guaranteed seats. Two members are also elected from the Faroe Islands and another 2 members are elected from Greenland. The number of members a constituency has is based on number of inhabitants, number of electors and population density.
After the parliamentary elections the Prime Minister is appointed by the Monarch based on who has the confidence of the Folketing.
Candidates for the Folketing is anyone with the right to vote in the country’s elections, unless they have been convicted of an act that deems them unworthy in the public eye.
To vote in elections one must be a citizen of the Realm with permanent residence there and who is at least 18-years-old.
Sources
The source for this post is from Denmark’s 1953 constitution (constituteproject.org) and so should be pretty accurate although to me the constitution seems more simpler than I’d expect from an old constitution and also in comparison with other constitutions I have done and so some things could potentially be missed, but I believe all the main parts are covered, but of course cross-research is still suggested in case I have missed something important or if I have misinterpreted something and of course the constitution can be amended and so this post may eventually become outdated.
Population information and parliamentary election procedure from the CIA World Factbook Denmark entry.
The constitution can be amended by proposal of the Folketing with the consent of the Government, after proposal is put forth and confirmed there will be a General Election to elect a new Folketing and they will then vote on passing the amendment, if they vote to pass it the amendment will then go forth to a national referendum, requiring a simple majority with at least 40% of the electorate voting. It will then receive royal assent from the Monarch to become official.
Next up will be the government system of Djibouti.
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