Radical socialists can tip the Danish Labor Party off after 100 years of power in Copenhagen – Dagsavisen
Copenhagen has always been the stronghold of the Danish Social Democrats, and the Danish Labor Party has been the largest party here since 1909. Since the Danish capital began with mayors in 1938, it has always been the Social Democratic party that has held the top post in Copenhagen City Council.
On Tuesday, that may change. Then it is local elections in Denmark, and the radical socialist party Enhedslisten is located on some measurements to become the capital’s largest party. In the latest poll for altinget.dk, the Unity List was measured at 22.4 while Prime Minister Mette Fredriksen’s Social Democrats were measured at 20.6.
– It’s a little difficult to say why they are experiencing so much in Copenhagen right now. But a huge issue in Copenhagen is the building of Lynetteholmen, which is an artificial island in Copenhagen and a huge urban development project. It is the Unity List against. Another issue is the environment and climate, on which they have profiled themselves, says Signe Bock Segaard.
She is a researcher at the Department of Social Research, but was born and raised in Denmark and follows Danish politics closely.
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Typical flight party
Segaard points out that even though the Unity List is poised to make a by-election in Copenhagen, it is also doing very well on a national basis, something they have been doing for several years.
– The Unity List is the most left-wing party in Denmark, in the same way as the Red Party is in Norway. They are in many ways a typical party on the left, and are particularly concerned with the environment, equality and social equality. But unlike Rødt, they are a cooperative party, and are a support party for the Social Democratic government. And they are a party that has flourished, especially after they experienced being stabbed in the back by Helle Thorning-Schmidt and her government, which ended up becoming a more center-oriented and bourgeois-seeking government, says Segaard.
The case continues during the video
And the Unity List’s success largely comes in the wake of the fall of the Social Democrats in Copenhagen in recent years, with former Social Democrat voters reaching further to the left. In the 2017 election, SD received 27.6 percent. If they were to get an election result of around 20 percent now, it would be a startlingly dramatic drop.
– There are many factors that come into play. The Social Democrats have had several national political scandals that we know play in local politics, especially in the largest cities. And one must ask oneself whether it is actually the unit list that has become more popular, or whether it is social that has become less popular, says the researcher.
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Real alternative to the Social Democrats
At the Unity List’s Norwegian sister party Rødt, they look with interest at the Danes’ success. Rødt’s party leader Bjørnar Moxnes says they have learned a lot from their former Danes, who have lured many Social Democratic voters to the far left wing in recent years.
– Like Rødt, they were a party that jumped out of the 70’s radicalism. In the early 2000s, they saw that they were absolutely necessary to renew the party, and they have become a modern socialist party, without «taking a Tony Blair». They have managed to stick to their principles, but at the same time renew policies and profile. They have become a very real alternative to the Social Democrats for more and more voters, not least by standing up for what has traditionally been Social Democratic policy, such as ensuring national control over key companies or defending unemployment rights, says Moxnes.
Even though Rødt made his best choice ever this autumn and came over the barrier limit, it is still far from certain that Norwegian Rødt will reach the Unity List’s levels. But Moxnes points out that Rødt and SV as a whole went more forward to this election than the election winner Senterpartiet did. If you throw the MDGs into the same gang, the opposition to the left of the Labor Party will begin to become a significant power factor in Norwegian politics.
– We see all over the west that the radical left is strengthening. This is probably due to a number of deeper societal trends. We have had 40 years of increased inequality, deregulation and market liberalism. It creates a backlash. The special thing is that in some countries, social democratic parties have been involved in this policy, for example in Norway and Denmark, says the party leader.
And if Norwegian voters should get bored of the Labor Party in Norway, Moxnes believes many more may look at alternatives on the left here as well.
– Many did not think there was enough count, power and will left in the Social Democratic parties. Then they look to the radical left for action. For many decades it has been a kind of firewall between large sections of the population and the radical left, but it is about to disappear. Both because people have had enough and want real change, but also because we have changed and become a more realistic and edible alternative for people, says Moxnes, and adds:
In Oslo, every third voter votes for Rødt, SV or MDG. Suddenly there are three of us where the Unity List is today. Now the left has made a historically good choice, and at the same time the Labor Party and the Socialist People’s Party are in a position and doubt the bourgeois tax policy that makes it impossible to keep their election promises. That split opens up huge rums for the radical left in Norway.
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