Result of the municipal and regional election in Denmark 19th of November 2013

Sunday 24 November 2013
From International Viewpoint
Originally published in Danish in Enhedslisten website Internationalt Udvalg.

The Danish municipal and regional election was a historical success for the Red-Green Alliance (RGA). We are now a nationwide party with representatives in all regions and corners of Denmark. With a raise in votes from the previous election in 2009 from 2,3 % to 6,9 %. The RGA now have seats in 79 municipalities and all regions of Denmark instead of only a presence in 10 municipalities and one representative in the capital region around Copenhagen. The total number of city councilors has gone up from 14 to 119 and from one regional elected to 15.  

Furthermore the results grants the RGA a seat in the National Organization of Municipalities which negotiate the economy of the municipalities with the government and has been tolerating one austerity budget after the other even though it previously had a majority consisting of the Social Democrats (SD) and the Socialist People’s Party (SPP). This gives the RGA a change to break the austerity consensus. 

The local election result is the best for the RGA since our founding in 1989. It was far better than our aim in the election campaign which was to have 100 city councilors and between 5-6 percent of the votes. Actually the result was the best result of the Danish leftwing to the left of the SPP since the post-war municipal election in 1946. 

In Copenhagen the RGA became the second biggest party with 19,5 % of the votes. The SD became the biggest with 27,8 % of the votes. During the late night negotiations the RGA in Copenhagen got the important seat as mayor for the Construction and Technical Affairs Department which give us an opportunity to prioritize a green and job creating path for the development of the Danish capital. 

In the second and third biggest cities of Denmark, Aarhus and Aalborg, the RGA became third biggest party after the SD and liberal party. But most significantly the result means that we are now represented in all corners of Denmark and part of the local politics in a majority of the Danish municipalities. This is an important step that can hopefully help us to consolidate our current success. 

The general result was a defeat for the SD and SPP governmental parties. A defeat that clearly reflects the lost confident many voters have in the two parties since they entered government and continue the neoliberal economic policy of the former right wing government, that their voters opposed. 

The SPP lost more than half of their local elected with only 5,6 % of the votes compared to 14,5 % in the 2009 election. The SD lost votes as well, but kept their position as the largest party in municipal politics. The third party in government, the social liberal party, gained votes from 3,7 % to 4,8 %. Unfortunately their newly elected have in several places aligned themselves with the right wing. 

The leading right wing opposition party gained votes and became the party with most mayors, but the success wasn’t as great as they had hoped as the party has been hit by scandals around its leader in recent months. 

The conservative party got is worst election in history, but a better result than predicted by many due to its strong local position. 

The extreme right wing party, the Danish People’s Party (DPP), gained 10,1 % of the votes. These votes were especially taken from former SD voters disappointed by the austerity policy of the SD as well as former conservative voters. The party might gain a mayor in the Copenhagen suburban municipality of Hvidovre from the SD, but negations are not yet finalized. The DPP has already gained one of the 7 majors in Copenhagen. This is the first time the DPP gains a mayor in Danish politics. 

The extreme neoliberal party, Liberal Alliance, gained 2,9 % of the votes which was a clear success from last election where the party only gained one municipal seat. 

Overall the result was historic for our party and gives us a strengthen position to defend the welfare, health and social security of people as well as in promoting a green policy that creates jobs. Furthermore it’s an opportunity to strengthen our position as one of the leading parties in the workers movement in Denmark. It is clear that the voters rewarded the RGA for fighting social cut downs and at the same time working pragmatic to get any possible improvement for ordinary people and environment. 
— Final national result for the municipal election: 
Inside ( ) shows development from last election. 
Social Democrats: 29,5 % (-1,1) 
Liberals: 26,6 % (1,8) 
Danish People’s Party: 10,1 % (2) 
Conservatives: 8,6 % (-2,4) 
The Red-Green Alliance: 6,9 % (4.6) 
The Socialist People’s Party: 5,6 % (8,9) 
Others: 5 % (0,4) 
Social Liberals: 4,8 % (1,1) 
Liberal Alliance: 2,9 % (2,6)