Green Left (Denmark)

TheGreen Left(Danish:Socialistisk Folkepartilit. 'Socialist People's Party',SF) is ademocratic socialistpolitical partyinDenmark.

Green Left Socialistisk Folkeparti
Abbreviation	SF F
Chairperson	Pia Olsen Dyhr
Founder	Aksel Larsen
Founded	15 February 1959
Split from	Communist Party of Denmark
Headquarters	Christiansborg Palace,Prins Jørgens Gård, 1240Copenhagen
Youth wing	Popular Socialist Youth of Denmark
Membership(2022)	8,995
Ideology	Democratic socialism Green politics Popular socialism
Political position	Centre-lefttoleft-wing
European affiliation	European Green Party
European Parliament group	Greens–European Free Alliance
International affiliation	Global Greens(associate)
Nordic affiliation	Nordic Green Left Alliance
Colours	Red Green Pink (customary)
Folketing	15 / 179
European Parliament	3 / 15
Regions	14 / 205
Municipalities	168 / 2,436
Mayors	2 / 98
Election symbol
F
Website
sf.dk
Politics of Denmark Political parties Elections

The Socialist People's Party (SF) was founded on 15 February 1959 byAksel Larsen,a former leader of theCommunist Party of Denmark(DKP), who was removed for criticizing the Soviet intervention in theHungarian Revolution of 1956.Larsen aimed to create a third way between Denmark's U.S.-oriented social democracy and Soviet-oriented communism, combining democracy with socialism. SF entered theFolketingin the1960 Danish general election,while the DKP lost its seats. SF became involved in peace, anti-nuclear, and grassroots movements, advocating for independence from the Soviet Union.

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, SF experienced fluctuating electoral success, gaining significant influence in the peace and environmental movements. UnderGert Petersen's leadership from 1974, SF broadened its appeal, focusing on environmental and gender politics. The party opposed Denmark's entry into theEuropean Economic Communityin the 1972 referendum, which boosted its membership and support. In the 1980s, SF reached its peak with 27 seats in the Folketing, but faced internal conflicts over EU policies, resulting in fluctuating support.

In the 1990s and 2000s, SF continued to influence Danish politics, supporting thePoul Nyrup Rasmussengovernment from 1993 to 2001. Under Holger Nielsen's leadership, SF opposed the1992 Danish Maastricht Treaty referendum,but supported theEdinburgh Agreement.The party saw mixed electoral results, gaining seats in some elections and losing in others.Villy Søvndalbecame party chair in 2005, shifting SF further left and emphasizing professionalism, focus groups, and media strategies. In the 2007 election, SF doubled its seats, becoming the fourth-largest party.

SF joined the coalition government led byHelle Thorning-Schmidtin 2011, marking its first participation in the cabinet. However, internal conflicts and controversies led to SF leaving the coalition in 2014. UnderPia Olsen Dyhr's leadership since 2014, SF supported theMette Frederiksen-led Social Democrat minority government after the 2019 election. Despite the "red bloc" winning a narrow majority in the 2022 election, SF became the largest opposition party when Frederiksen formed a unity government with theLiberal PartyandModerates.

History

1959–1969

The SF was founded on 15 February 1959 byAksel Larsen,a former leader of theCommunist Party of Denmark(DKP).Larsen was removed from the ranks of the DKP for his criticism over theSovietintervention in theHungarian Revolution of 1956.Larsen and the new SF sought to form a third way between Denmark's United States-orientedsocial democracyandSoviet Union–orientedcommunism,which sought to combine democracy withsocialism.He was joined by a large share of the members of the DKP. They all supported the idea of independence from the Soviet Union.

In the1960 elections,the party entered theFolketingwith eleven seats. The DKP lost all six of its seats. In the1964 elections,the party lost one seat. During the 1960s, the SF became involved in thepeace movementand the movements which opposednuclear weaponsandnuclear power.It sought to "walk on two legs", by combining its parliamentary work with involvement in grass roots movements.

In the1966 elections,theSocial Democratsand the SF won a combined majority in parliament, in which the SF doubled its number of seats from 10 to 20. A Social Democratminority governmentwas formed, which was supported by the SF. The cooperation lasted only one year, but led to considerable conflict within the SF: in 1967, theLeft Socialists(VS) broke away from the SF. In the subsequent1968 elections,the SF lost nine seats and the VS entered parliament with four. In 1969, the party chairperson Larsen stood down; he was replaced bySigurd Ømann.

1969–1991

In the1971 elections,the party regained ground on the VS, gaining six seats, while the VS left the Folketing. In 1972, the party participated in thereferendumcampaign against Denmark's entry into theEuropean Economic Community.The Danish voters voted in favour of the European by a narrow margin. Because of its opposition to the EEC however boosted the SF's membership and support. In the subsequent1973 "landslide" elections,the SF lost six seats (reducing the party's share to 11), and the DKP re-entered the Folketing with six seats. In 1974, Ømann stood down as party chairperson in favour of Gert Petersen. In the1975 elections,the SF lost two seats and the VS re-entered the Folketing as well. In1977the party reached an all-time low with only seven seats. During the 1970s, the SF began to change its program and electoral appeal. Where it had been a male-domined workers' party it became broaderleft-wingpolitical party that was oriented towards new voters andnew social movements.It became more focused on theenvironmentandgender politics.

In1979,the party won four seats as the DKP lost its six seats. In the1981 elections,the party almost doubled from eleven to twenty-one. In the1984 electionsit remained stable. In the1986 referendumon theSingle European Act,the SF campaigned together with the Social Democrats and theSocial Liberal Partyagainst the European Community. The SEA was adopted by a narrow margin. In the subsequent1987,it reached its all-time peak with twenty seven seats. In1988,it lost three seats, and in1990,it lost another nine, leaving only fifteen. In 1991, the party chairman Petersen stood down in favour ofHolger K. Nielsen.Between 1982 and 1993, a centre-right government led byPoul Schlüterformed by theConservatives,theLiberals,and allies was in power, even though the Social Democrats, SF, and the Social Liberals formed a majority in parliament. This, combined with its links with the peace and environmental movement, gave the SF the power to force alternative security and environmental policies.

1991–2001

In 1991, Petersen stood down as party chairman; he was replaced byHolger K. Nielsen,who was – compared to the other candidate Steen Gade – closer to the party's socialist past.

In the1992 referendumon thetreaty of Maastricht,the SF campaigned for the "no" -vote. The Danish people voted against the referendum. In 1993, the SF formed a historic compromise with the other parties in the Folketing. It accepted the concessions made to the Danes in theEdinburgh Agreementand to the SF in the National Compromise. Therefore, it campaigned to vote "yes" in thesecond referendum.Just before the referendum in 1991, the SF's party congress had adopted a new program of action and principles, "Mod Nye Tider (Towards New Times)", which departed from the old anti-EU line. As a group in the SF became more positive of the EU, the SF became increasingly divided on the issue.

In1994,it lost another two seats and theRed-Green Alliancean alliance which included the DKP and the VS entered parliament with six seats. In the1998 electionsthe party remained stable. During the1998 referendumon theTreaty of Amsterdam,it led the No-camp again, unsuccessfully. Between 1993 and 2001, the SF supported aSocial Democrat/Social Liberalminority government led byPoul Nyrup Rasmussen.

In the2000 referendumon the euro, the SF was part of the successful "no" campaign.

In opposition, 2001–2011

In the2001 elections,the party lost one seat and afterLiberal Party,theConservative People's Partyand theDanish People's Partygained a majority SF lost almost all political influence in parliament. There were some local bright spots with great support to SF mayors inVejle,Them,Nakskov,Kalundborg,andMaribocaused by charismatic candidates.

In 2004, the party's sole MEP again decided to sit withThe Greens–European Free Alliancegroup, instead of theEuropean United Left/Nordic Green Left,leading to considerable internal conflict. The party has since then come around to her point of view, and in 2008, it was decided that future SF MEPs should sit in the Green Group, although at the time SF was still only an observer in theEuropean Green Partyand not a full member.

In the2005 elections,SF gained the worst election result since 1979, and lost yet another seat in parliament. On election night Holger K. Nielsen stepped down as party chairman in favour of a new chair. WhenHolger K. Nielsenannounced that he would step down as chairman, three candidates for the post came forth:Pia Olsen Dyhr,Meta Fuglsang, andVilly Søvndal.At an at times chaotic process on the party congress resulted in the decision to hold a ballot among the party members to decide who should be chairman. Søvndal, running on a platform of moving the party further to thepolitical leftwon the ballot with 60% of the vote.

The election of Søvndal brought major changes to the party. Greater emphasis was placed on professionalism, the use of focus groups and a change in electoral strategy. The number of key issues was reduced to three to better penetrate in the media with fewer slogans.

In a 2006 internal referendum, 66% of the SF-members declared that the party should participate in the "yes" -camp in a referendum on theEuropean Constitution,a historic break from its Eurosceptic past.

In the2007 election,SF more than doubled its seats in parliament and became the fourth-largest party with increased support across the country. In itself this did not bring about any major change in political influence since the centre-right was able to maintain its majority. However the increase in votes and members of parliament brought optimism and new resources to the party. The media had also discovered Søvndal's ability to make an impact and gave him the opportunity to use that in many cases. The number of party members also greatly increased during this period.

At the 2006 party congress, Søvndal took exception to anti-democratic groups, mostlyHizb-ut-Tahrirusing unusually harsh language. He repeated these statements on his blog in 2008 which led to great attention to the party and some internal criticism. Right-wing politicians praised Søvndal's statements and rhetoric which caused insecurity in some parts of the party who felt they were being embraced by some of SF's main political opponents on the right wing. The polls during these months showed a constant rise in support for the party which combined with a decline in support for the Social Democrats showed an almost equal support to the two parties. For the first time ever some polls showed greater support for SF than for the Social Democrats. In the spring of 2008 this however changed so that SF got 16% in the polls and the Social Democrats 23%.

In 2008, SF voted in favour for the national budget for 2009. This was the first time the SF had voted in favour of a national budget by theFoghcabinet. This was widely regarded as an attempt to disprove the frequent accusations of SF not being "economically responsible".

In government, 2011–2014

Beforethe 2011 election,SF announced that its goal was to be part of a cabinet consisting of SF, theSocial Democrats,and theSocial Liberal Party.While the Social Democrats were positive to the idea the Social Liberals were initially more sceptical, due to differences in economic policies. This became a reality with the formationcabinet of Helle Thorning-Schmidt:For the first time, SF was part of a cabinet, with six cabinet ministers. In September 2012 Villy Søvndal announced that he was stepping down as chairman of the party. After a protracted election for the party chairAnnette Vilhelmsenwas elected chairwoman with 66% of the constituency, against the 34% achieved by her competitorAstrid Krag.Since Krag had the backing of most of the party leadership, Vilhelmsen's election was widely interpreted as a display of dissatisfaction with the leadership's approach to participating in government.

Vilhelmsen never managed to provide stable leadership for the party however. In January 2014, the party left the coalition government over a dispute involving the sale of shares in the state-owned energy companyDONG EnergytoGoldman Sachs,stating that they would instead provideconfidence and supply.Vilhelmsen and a considerable part of the party leadership subsequently resigned.Pia Olsen Dyhrwas subsequently elected new chairman of the party.

In the2015 general electionSF lost more than half of its votes and achieved its worst result since 1977 with 4.2%.

Supporting the government, 2019–2022

The2019 general electionsaw a victory for the 'red bloc' consisting of the Social Democrats, Social Liberals, SF, the Red-Green Alliance, the Faroese Social Democratic Party, and Siumut. SF received 7.7% of the vote, a 3.5% increase from 2015, netting them 14 seats. Following the results, Vice PresidentSigne Munkstepped down to serve in the Folketing andSerdal Benliwas elected to take Munk's place.

Prior to the election, SF spoke with leader of the Social DemocratsMette Frederiksenand brought a list of policy demands. These included strong climate action and the abolishment of the cash assistance ceiling, though the latter was abandoned during negotiations.Ultimately it was decided that the Social Democrats would form a one-party minority government supported by SF and the rest of the red bloc.

Return to opposition, 2022–present

The incumbent red bloc government won a narrow majority in the2022 general election.However, both before and after the election, Prime Minister Frederiksen instead called for the formation of a unity government with the centre-rightLiberal Partyas well as the newly formed centristModerates.The formation of this grand coalition would make SF the largest party in the opposition with 15 seats, an increase of one compared to the 2019 election.

In 2022, the congress of the party voted for the official English name of the party to be "Green Left".

Ideology and issues

The green logo of SF, green politics.

SF's ideological base issocialism,inspired bygreen politicsanddemocratic socialism.The party sees a democratic-socialist Denmark as the end goal of its politics. The party is a strong supporter offeminism,human rights,the rights of minorities, and democracy. Other important issues for the SF are aglobalizationbased onsolidarity.To that extent, it seeks to reform theWorld Trade Organization,as well asenvironmentalprotection, and support feminism. The party is also critical of capitalism, with its principle program (adopted in 2012) arguing that "Danish society is characterized by a capitalist structure. Capitalism has created increased prosperity and productivity, but it has also created great inequality and social injustice, where a wealthy minority has the decisive control over the economy and production, and where many people are excluded and have no influence over their own lives. The main driving force in capitalist society is the private pursuit of profit, which entails a continuous risk of crises and puts constant pressure on society's social cohesion and natural foundations. The crises are further exacerbated by a wildly growing, detached financial sector, which becomes a drag on the productive sector. Globalization contains enormous opportunities, but also an unregulated capitalism that creates a casino economy where large banks and finance houses create financial instability. SF works for a regulation of international capital flows and multinational companies."

The European Union

Historically, theEuropean Unionhas divided the party. The party was highlyEurosceptic;during the 1990s, where the Green Left was the main architect of the four Danish "opt-outs"of the European Union. When the EU began to implement policies oriented at regional development, environmental protection and social protection, the SF became more positive about the EU. In 2004 the party shifted towards a morepro-Europeanstance. This EU-positive stance was emphasized in 2022, where a broad coalition of Danish parties made a historic Defence-agreement that included areferendumof the Danish EU-defense opt-out. Here, the Green Left recommended to abolish the very same opt-out, they had been an architect of in the 1990s.

International comparison

The SF is aNordic Green Leftparty like the SwedishLeft Party,the NorwegianSocialist Left Party,the FinnishLeft Alliance,and the IcelandicLeft-Green Movement.These were also influenced byfeminismandgreen politicsin the 1970s and 1980s. Similar parties in Western Europe were the FrenchUnified Socialist Partyand the DutchPacifist Socialist Party.

Relationships to other parties

The SF has good relationships with theSocial Liberal Partyand theSocial Democratswho, in the past, have cooperated inminority governmentssupported from the outside by the SF, although now the party is in opposition to a centrist government.

Organization

Structure

The Green Left has a strong grass-roots organization: All members can participate in theparty congresses,but only delegates have voting rights. In May 2010, the party had 17,883 members.

Party Chairperson

The chairman of the SF has always been its party leader, which can't be taken for granted in Danish party politics.

• Aksel Larsen,1959–1968
• Sigurd Ømann,1968–1974
• Gert Petersen,1974–1991
• Holger K. Nielsen,1991–2005
• Villy Søvndal,2005–2012
• Annette Vilhelmsen,2012–2014
• Pia Olsen Dyhr,2014–present

Youth wing

Its youth organization is thePopular Socialist Youth of Denmark.The linked Socialist Popular Education Organisation organizes a yearly political summer meeting for members and non-members inLivø.

International affiliation

SF is a member of theNordic Green Left Allianceand theEuropean Greens.Between 1979 and 1989, its MEPs sat in theCommunist and Allies Group.Between 1989 and 1994, its sole MEP was member of theEuropean United Leftparliamentary group. Between 1994 and 1999, its sole MEP sat in theGreen Group.Between 1999 and 2004, its sole MEP sat in theEuropean United Left/Nordic Green Leftgroup. After2004 election,SF's sole MEP,Margrete Auken,controversially chose to sit inThe Greens-European Free Alliancegroup. SF became a full member of theGlobal Greensin 2014.

Election results

Parliament

Year	Votes	%	Seats	+/-	Government
1960	149,440	6.1 (#4)	11 / 179	N/A	Opposition
1964	151,697	5.8 (#4)	10 / 179	1	Opposition
1966	304,437	10.9 (#4)	20 / 179	10	External support(1966–1967)
					Opposition(1967–1968)
1968	174,553	6.1 (#5)	11 / 179	9	Opposition
1971	262,756	9.1 (#5)	17 / 179	6	External support
1973	183,522	6.0 (#7)	11 / 179	6	Opposition
1975	150,963	5.0 (#7)	9 / 179	2	External support
1977	120,357	3.9 (#6)	7 / 179	2	Opposition
1979	187,284	5.9 (#5)	11 / 179	4	External support
1981	353,373	11.3 (#3)	21 / 179	10	Opposition
1984	387,122	11.5 (#4)	21 / 179	0	Opposition
1987	490,176	14.6 (#3)	27 / 179	6	Opposition
1988	433,261	13.0 (#3)	24 / 179	3	Opposition
1990	268,759	8.3 (#4)	15 / 179	9	Opposition(1990–1993)
					External support(1993–1994)
1994	242,398	7.3 (#4)	13 / 179	2	External support
1998	257,406	7.6 (#4)	13 / 179	0	External support
2001	219,842	6.4 (#5)	12 / 179	1	Opposition
2005	201,047	6.0 (#6)	11 / 179	1	Opposition
2007	450,975	13.0 (#4)	23 / 179	12	Opposition
2011	326,082	9.2 (#5)	16 / 179	7	Coalition(2011–2014)
					External support(2014–2015)
2015	148,027	4.2 (#8)	7 / 179	9	Opposition
2019	272,093	7.7 (#5)	14 / 179	7	External support
2022	293,186	8.3 (#4)	15 / 179	1	Opposition
Source:Folketingets Oplysning

Local elections

Municipal elections Year Seats No. ± 1962 45 / 11,414 New 1966 74 / 10,005 29 Municipal reform 1970 27 / 4,677 47 1974 78 / 4,735 51 1978 80 / 4,759 2 1981 155 / 4,769 75 1985 320 / 4,773 165 1989 301 / 4,737 19 1993 228 / 4,703 73 1997 233 / 4,685 5 2001 237 / 4,647 4 Municipal reform 2005 162 / 2,522 75 2009 340 / 2,468 178 2013 116 / 2,444 224 2017 126 / 2,432 10 2021 168 / 2,436 42

Regional elections Year Seats No. ± 1962 1 / 301 New 1966 1 / 303 0 Municipal reform 1970 1 / 366 0 1974 9 / 370 8 1978 12 / 370 3 1981 24 / 370 12 1985 40 / 374 16 1989 35 / 374 5 1993 30 / 374 5 1997 25 / 374 5 2001 23 / 374 2 Municipal reform 2005 12 / 205 11 2009 32 / 205 20 2013 10 / 205 22 2017 15 / 205 5 2021 14 / 205 1

Mayors Year Seats No. ± 2005 1 / 98 2009 2 / 98 1 2013 1 / 98 1 2017 1 / 98 0 2021 2 / 98 1

European Parliament

Year	List leader	Votes	%	Seats	+/–	EP Group
1979	Bodil Boserup	81,991	4.70 (#7)	1 / 15	New	COM
1984		183,580	9.22 (#5)	1 / 15	0
1989	John Iversen	162,902	9.10 (#5)	1 / 16	0
1994	Lilli Gyldenkilde	178,543	8.58 (#6)	1 / 16	0	NGLA
1999	Pernille Frahm	140,053	7.11 (#7)	1 / 16	0	GUE/NGL
2004	Margrete Auken	150,766	7.96 (#5)	1 / 14	0	G/EFA
2009		371,603	15.87 (#3)	2 / 13	1
2014		249,305	10.95 (#4)	1 / 13	1
2019		364,895	13.23 (#3)	2 / 14	1
2024	Kira Peter-Hansen	426,472	17.42 (#1)	3 / 15	1

Representation

Members of the Folketing

The party currently has 15 members of the Danish parliament.In the2022 elections,SF gained 1 seat, and won 15 seats in total, the best result withPia Olsen Dyhras leader to date.

• Sigurd Agersnap
• Kirsten Normann Andersen
• Theresa Berg Andersen
• Lisbeth Bech-Nielsen
• Anne Valentina Berthelsen
• Marianne Bigum
• Astrid Carøe
• Karina Lorentzen Dehnhardt
• Pia Olsen Dyhr
• Karsten Hønge
• Sofie Lippert
• Jacob Mark
• Signe Munk
• Charlotte Broman Mølbæk
• Carl Valentin

Members of the European Parliament

The SF has always been represented in the European Parliament. It gained one seat in1979,1984(one additional seat on 1 January 1985),1989and2004.Since 2004, the elected candidate wasMargrete Auken.Without the approval of the party's board, she joined The Greens–European Free Alliance parliamentary group, instead of theEuropean United Left/Nordic Green Leftin 2004. Since then, the party has come around to her point of view, and at the national congress in 2008, it was decided that future SF MEPs will stay in the Greens–EFA group in the European Parliament, but SF will only join theEuropean Green Partyas an observer, and not as a member. In the2009 European elections,the party increased its share of votes to 15,6%, and got an additional seat which went toEmilie Turunen,who became a member of theSocial Democratsin March 2013. For the 2019 European Election, SF won back the 2nd seat and is now also represented byKira Marie Peter-Hansen,who is the youngest parliamentarian ever elected for the European Parliament.

Municipal and regional government

Currently the party has approximately 236 elected representatives inlocal town councilsand 21 representatives in Denmark's fourteenregional councils.During the 1990s, the party gained its first mayors.

Former Members of the Folketing

• Anne Baastrup(2005–2011)
• Anne Grete Holmsgaard(2005–2011)
• Astrid Krag(2007–2011; defected)
• Eigil Andersen(2007–2011)
• Flemming Bonne(2007–2011)
• Hanne Agersnap(2007–2011)
• Holger K. Nielsen(2005–2011, 2015–2019)
• Ida Auken(2007–2011; defected)
• Jacob Mark(2015–2019)
• Jesper Petersen(2007–2011; defected)
• Jonas Dahl(2007–2011)
• Kamal Qureshi(2005–2011)
• Karina Lorentzen(2007–2011)
• Karl Bornhøft(2007–2011)
• Karsten Hønge(2007–2011, 2015–2019)
• Kirsten Normann Andersen(2015–2019; took former MPJonas Dahl's seat as he left the Folketing)
• Kristen Touborg Jensen(2005–2011)
• Lisbeth Bech Poulsen(2015–2019)
• Morten Homann(2005–2007)
• Nanna Westerby(2007–2011)
• Ole Sohn(2005–2011; defected)
• Özlem Cekic(2007–2011)
• Pernille Frahm(2007–2011)
• Pernille Vigsø Bagge(2005–2011)
• Pia Olsen Dyhr(2007–2011, 2015–2019)
• Poul Henrik Hedeboe(2005–2007)
• Steen Gade(2005–2011)
• Trine Torp(2015–2019)
• Villy Søvndal(2005–2011)

See also

• Green party
• Popular Socialist Youth of Denmark
• Green politics
• List of environmental organizations
• Popular socialism

External links

• Official website
• SF