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Document:LP News 1974 January-February Issue 18: Difference between revisions
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Document:LP News 1974 January-February Issue 18 (view source)
Revision as of 22:06, 22 March 2022
, 22 March 2022→Anti-socialist parties gain ground in Danish election
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=Anti-socialist parties gain ground in Danish election= | =Anti-socialist parties gain ground in Danish election= | ||
The quasi-libertarian Progress Party pulled | The quasi-libertarian Progress Party pulled 15% of the vote in Denmark's national elections last December 4, but the country is still overwhelmingly socialistic in its political preferences; that's the situation in a nutshell. | ||
15% of the vote in Denmark's national elections last December 4, but the country is still | |||
overwhelmingly socialistic in its political preferences; that's the situation in a nutshell. | |||
Before the election, five parties were represented in the Danish parliament; after the dust settled, the total had risen to ten, with the five "new" parties capturing over one-third of the vote. But many of the changes were little more than illusory, as parties across the spectrum were rent by schisms. | Before the election, five parties were represented in the Danish parliament; after the dust settled, the total had risen to ten, with the five "new" parties capturing over one-third of the vote. But many of the changes were little more than illusory, as parties across the spectrum were rent by schisms. | ||
Biggest gainer was the Progress Party, which gained 28 seats, making it the second-largest bloc in the new Parliament--but much of their gain came at the expense of the Conservative Party, also anti-socialist, which dropped from 31 seats and second place to 16 seats and fifth. | Biggest gainer was the Progress Party, which gained 28 seats, making it the second-largest bloc in the new Parliament--but much of their gain came at the expense of the Conservative Party, also anti-socialist, which dropped from 31 seats and second place to 16 seats and fifth. | ||
Before the election, the Conservative Party had held 17% of the seats, with 83% being held by four parties of a socialist nature. Afterwards, the anti-socialists' share had risen to 28%. | Before the election, the Conservative Party had held 17% of the seats, with 83% being held by four parties of a socialist nature. Afterwards, the anti-socialists' share had risen to 28%. | ||
The new anti-socialist bloc consists of the Progress Party (very loosely equivalent to the | |||
LP) with 15%, the Conservative Party (roughly equivalent to the GOP) with 9%, and the new Christian Party (somewhat similar to the American Independent Party in this country) with 4%. In addition, the Social Democratic Party (socialist) lost its more conservative wing to the new | The new anti-socialist bloc consists of the Progress Party (very loosely equivalent to the LP) with 15%, the Conservative Party (roughly equivalent to the GOP) with 9%, and the new Christian Party (somewhat similar to the American Independent Party in this country) with 4%. In addition, the Social Democratic Party (socialist) lost its more conservative wing to the new Center Democratic Party (about like our Dems), which picked up 8%. | ||
Center Democratic Party (about like our Dems), which picked up 8%. | |||
But, while the anti-socialists now hold | But, while the anti-socialists now hold 28% of the seats in the Danish parliament, with "middle of the roaders" holding 8%, the socialists and super-socialists still hold 59%, with 5% being held by parties whose views we have not been able to determine. | ||
28% of the seats in the Danish parliament, | |||
with "middle of the roaders" holding 8%, | So while the gains of the Progress Party are slightly encouraging, they are no cause for loud hurrahs. The grim fact remains that even in a country where the people are far more heavily taxed and regulated than we are, and a multi-party system is accepted, a libertarian-leaning party with a nationally famous figure as its leader was able to pick up only one-seventh of the vote, and half of that was at the expense of the only other anti-socialist party previously in existence. | ||
the socialists and super-socialists still | |||
hold 59%, with 5% being held by parties | |||
whose views we have not been able to determine. | |||
So while the gains of the Progress Party are slightly encouraging, they are no cause for loud hurrahs. The grim fact remains that even in a country where the people are far more heavily taxed and regulated than we are, and a multi-party system is accepted, a libertarian-leaning party with a nationally famous figure as its leader | |||
was able to pick up only one-seventh of the vote, and half of that was at the expense of the only other anti-socialist party previously in | |||
existence. | |||
=POLITICAL PERSPECTIVE= | =POLITICAL PERSPECTIVE= | ||