Danish Government
When discussing the Danish government, you have to address Queen Margrethe, Lars Loekke Rasmussen and the Folketing. The Danish government is a constitutional monarchy. Queen Margrethe holds the throne and is the official ruler of Denmark. Her position is mostly ceremonial, but her signature is required to pass new legislation. She has sat on the throne since 1972 and is a very beloved figure in Denmark. Rarely do you hear people saying anything negative about her. Her birthday is a very special day in Denmark and is celebrated throughout the land. See the video below for an insight into the Royal Family
People swarm to Amalianborg Palace on her birthday (April 16th) and wave flags and greet the Queen. It's a very unique experience and something you should participate in if you get a chance. Denmark is run by a single chamber parliament called the Folketing. The Prime Minister leads the government, and the Prime Minister is Lars Loekke Rasmussen replacing Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who will became Secretary-general of NATO on August 1, 2009. This is most senior international post ever held by a Dane and Denmark is very proud of his accomplishment and eagerly awaits to see how he will put his mark on NATO. There are six major political parties and several more minor parties. The major groups are:
1. Socialdemokraterne or Social Democrats 2. Det Konservative Folkeparti or Conservative People's Party 3. Det Radikale Venstre or Radical Left Party 4. Socialistisk Folkeparti or Socialists People's Party 5. Dansk Folkeparti or Danish People's Party 6. Venstre or the Left/Liberal The Social Democrats are the leading party and hold the most power in the Folketing. The Danes are very active in politics, and the voting rate is quite high compared to countries like the US and Britain. The voting age is 18 and many young people are very active in politics. It is not uncommon to find protesters in the streets, peaceful marches and banners being displayed. The Danes are vocal in their political beliefs and Danes are expected to be politically active - which they are! Here, you can learn more about the Danish Government. Continue here to learn more about the Danish Currency. Or you can go back to the Welcome Page
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