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The Danish Social Liberal Party ( da, Radikale Venstre, , Radical Left) is a
social-liberal Social liberalism (german: Sozialliberalismus, es, socioliberalismo, nl, Sociaalliberalisme), also known as new liberalism in the United Kingdom, modern liberalism, or simply liberalism in the contemporary United States, left-liberalism ...
political party A political party is an organization that coordinates candidates to compete in a particular country's elections. It is common for the members of a party to hold similar ideas about politics, and parties may promote specific political ideology ...
in
Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark ...
. The party was founded as a split from the
Venstre Reform Party VenstreThe party name is officially not translated into any other language, but is in English often referred to as the Liberal Party. Similar rules apply for the name of the party's youth wing Venstres Ungdom. (, ), full name Venstre, Danmarks Li ...
in 1905. Historically, the
centrist Centrism is a political outlook or position involving acceptance or support of a balance of social equality and a degree of social hierarchy while opposing political changes that would result in a significant shift of society strongly to Left-w ...
party has played a central role in
Danish politics The politics of Denmark take place within the framework of a parliamentary representative democracy, a constitutional monarchy and a decentralised unitary state in which the monarch of Denmark, Queen Margrethe II, is the head of state. Denmar ...
and has supported governments on both sides of the
political spectrum A political spectrum is a system to characterize and classify different political positions in relation to one another. These positions sit upon one or more geometric axes that represent independent political dimensions. The expressions politi ...
, as co-operation is a primary belief of the party. A
pro-European Pro-Europeanism, sometimes called European Unionism, is a political position that favours European integration and membership of the European Union (EU).Krisztina Arató, Petr Kaniok (editors). ''Euroscepticism and European Integration''. Polit ...
party, it is a member of
Liberal International Liberal International (LI) is a worldwide organization of liberal political parties - a political international. It was founded in Oxford in 1947 and has become the pre-eminent network for liberal parties, aiming to strengthen liberalism around ...
and the ALDE, and has two MEPs in the Renew Europe group in the
European Parliament The European Parliament (EP) is one of the legislative bodies of the European Union and one of its seven institutions. Together with the Council of the European Union (known as the Council and informally as the Council of Ministers), it adopts ...
.


History


1905–1930s

The party was founded in 1905 as a split from the
Venstre Reform Party VenstreThe party name is officially not translated into any other language, but is in English often referred to as the Liberal Party. Similar rules apply for the name of the party's youth wing Venstres Ungdom. (, ), full name Venstre, Danmarks Li ...
. The initial impetus was the expulsion of Venstre's
antimilitarist Antimilitarism (also spelt anti-militarism) is a doctrine that opposes war, relying heavily on a critical theory of imperialism and was an explicit goal of the First and Second International. Whereas pacifism is the doctrine that disputes (especi ...
wing from the party in January 1905. The expelled members held a founding conference for the new party in
Odense Odense ( , , ) is the third largest city in Denmark (behind Copenhagen and Aarhus) and the largest city on the island of Funen. As of 1 January 2022, the city proper had a population of 180,863 while Odense Municipality had a population of 20 ...
, on 21 May 1905. In addition to the differences over military spending, the social liberals also took a more positive view than Venstre towards measures that aimed to reduce
social inequality Social inequality occurs when resources in a given society are distributed unevenly, typically through norms of allocation, that engender specific patterns along lines of socially defined categories of persons. It posses and creates gender c ...
. The party also became the political leg of the cultural radical movement. The party was cautiously open to aspects of the
welfare state A welfare state is a form of government in which the state (or a well-established network of social institutions) protects and promotes the economic and social well-being of its citizens, based upon the principles of equal opportunity, equitabl ...
, and also advocated reforms to improve the position of
smallholder A smallholding or smallholder is a small farm operating under a small-scale agriculture model. Definitions vary widely for what constitutes a smallholder or small-scale farm, including factors such as size, food production technique or technology ...
s, an important early group of supporters. The party's social-liberal ideals are said to have been inspired by the political economists
Henry George Henry George (September 2, 1839 – October 29, 1897) was an American political economist and journalist. His writing was immensely popular in 19th-century America and sparked several reform movements of the Progressive Era. He inspired the eco ...
and
John Stuart Mill John Stuart Mill (20 May 1806 – 7 May 1873) was an English philosopher, political economist, Member of Parliament (MP) and civil servant. One of the most influential thinkers in the history of classical liberalism, he contributed widely to ...
. The first Social Liberal Cabinet was formed in 1909 with
Carl Theodor Zahle Carl Theodor Zahle (19 January 1866 in Roskilde – 3 February 1946 in Copenhagen), was a Danish lawyer and politician who served as Prims Minister of Denmark from 1909 to 1910 and again from 1913 to 1920. In 1895, he was elected as a member of t ...
serving as Prime Minister (1909–1910). From 1913 to 1920, Zahle led the second Social Liberal Cabinet with the
Social Democrats Social democracy is a political, social, and economic philosophy within socialism that supports political and economic democracy. As a policy regime, it is described by academics as advocating economic and social interventions to promote so ...
serving as parliamentary support, keeping Denmark neutral during
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
. During the
Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
of the 1930s, the party served as coalition partners along with the Social Democrats, led by Prime Minister
Thorvald Stauning Thorvald August Marinus Stauning (; 26 October 1873 in Copenhagen – 3 May 1942) was the first social democratic Prime Minister of Denmark. He served as Prime Minister from 1924 to 1926 and again from 1929 until his death in 1942. Under Stauni ...
, and managed to lead the country through the recession by implementing far-reaching social reforms.


Post-World War II

After 1945 the party continued with its pragmatic ways, influencing either as coalition partner as parliamentary support. From 1957 to 1964 they served as coalition partners in a Social Democratic led government, while
Hilmar Baunsgaard Hilmar Baunsgaard (26 February 1920, Slagelse – 30 June 1989) was a Danish politician who served as Prime Minister of Denmark from 1968 to 1971. He was a member of the Danish Social Liberal Party and the party's leader from 1968 to 1975. He wa ...
served as Prime Minister 1968–1971 in a coalition government with Venstre and the Conservative People's Party as partners. In the 1968 general elections the party reached an all-time high of 15% of the vote, while they only received 11.2% in the 1973 landslide election. During the 1980s the party served either as parliamentary support or as coalition partner in various Conservative led governments. After an all-time low in the 1990 general elections where the party only received 3.5% of the vote, the party once again started cooperating with the Social Democrats under leadership of
Poul Nyrup Rasmussen Poul Oluf Nyrup Rasmussen (, informally Poul Nyrup, born 15 June 1943) is a retired Danish politician. Rasmussen was Prime Minister of Denmark from 25 January 1993 to 27 November 2001 and President of the Party of European Socialists (PES) from ...
, participating in a coalition government in 1993.


2001–present

In the early 2000s the political scene was marked by "bloc"-politics, with "blue bloc" being led by Venstre and "red bloc" by the Social Democrats. The
Danish People's Party The Danish People's Party ( da, Dansk Folkeparti, DPP/DF) is a nationalist and right-wing populist political party in Denmark. It was formed in 1995 by former members of the Progress Party (FrP). The DPP lent its support to the Venstre– C ...
overtook the Social Liberals' key position as prime candidate for parliamentary support. Furthermore, the DPP's anti-immigrant policies made the Social Liberals profile themselves as a progressive party being pro-globalisation, pro-EU and more tolerant towards refugees and immigrants. At the same time the party profiled itself on reforming the welfare system, campaigning to abolish "efterløn" and lower taxes. As such the party served to unite a modern social profile with a more liberal economic profile. This served to appeal the more well-educated urbanised parts of the country, resulting in 9.2% of the vote at the 2005 general elections. In a 2006 press release they tried to mark themselves as once again being able to lead a government, doing away with the presumption of the party only being able to serve as government partner or parliamentary support. The strategy proved unpopular both among voters and within the party itself. On 7 May 2007 MP
Naser Khader Naser Khader ( ar, ناصر خضر  Levantine pronunciation: ; born 1 July 1963) is a Syrian-Danish politician who is a member of the Folketing as an independent politician. Until 2021 he was a member of the Conservative People's Party. ...
and MEP
Anders Samuelsen Anders Samuelsen (born 1 August 1967 in Horsens, Denmark) is a Danish former politician who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2016 to 2019, member of the Folketing from 2007 to 2011 and as leader of the Liberal Alliance party from 20 ...
left the party and formed the New Alliance, known today as the Liberal Alliance, along with Conservative MEP
Gitte Seeberg Gitte Seeberg (born 25 June 1960 in Copenhagen) is a Denmark, Danish politician, lawyer, and current secretary general of the Danish branch of the World Wide Fund for Nature, WWF. She was a member of the Danish Folketinget parliament for the Conser ...
. At a press conference on 15 June 2007, it was announced that MP
Margrethe Vestager Margrethe Vestager (; born 13 April 1968) is a Danish politician currently serving as Executive Vice President of the European Commission for A Europe Fit for the Digital Age since December 2019 and European Commissioner for Competition since ...
would take over leadership of the party after
Marianne Jelved Marianne Bruus Jelved (née ''Hirsbro'', born 5 September 1943 in Aarhus) is a Danish politician, who is a member of the Folketing for the Danish Social Liberal Party. She was elected into parliament in the 1994 Danish general election and had pr ...
, and that the party would rethink its strategy. The party returned to its historical role as possible coalition partner and at the political centre of Danish politics.Haahr, Ulla (15 June 2007)
''Vestager ny radikal dronning''
.
Danmarks Radio DR (), officially the Danish Broadcasting Corporation in English, is a Danish public-service radio and television broadcasting company. Founded in 1925 as a public-service organization, it is Denmark's oldest and largest electronic media enter ...
. Retrieved 11 December 2007.
Vestager clarified during the run-up to the 2007 general election that her party would only be supporting a government led by the Social Democrats. Still, the party only won 5.1% of the vote. At the subsequent 2011 general elections, the party support rose to 9.5% and regained 8 seats to resume a total of 17. Together with the Social Democrats and the Socialist People's Party, they formed a three-way government coalition. On 31 August 2014, Prime Minister
Helle Thorning-Schmidt Helle Thorning-Schmidt (; born 14 December 1966) is a Danish retired politician who served as the 26th Prime Minister of Denmark from 2011 to 2015, and Leader of the Social Democrats from 2005 to 2015. She is the first woman to have held each p ...
nominated Margrethe Vestager as Denmark's
EU Commissioner A European Commissioner is a member of the 27-member European Commission. Each member within the Commission holds a specific portfolio. The commission is led by the President of the European Commission. In simple terms they are the equivalent ...
, resulting in her resignation as party leader. The party's parliamentary group subsequently elected
Morten Østergaard Morten Østergaard (born 17 June 1976 in Aarhus) is a Danish politician who served as Denmark's Minister for Economic and Interior Affairs from 2 September 2014 to 28 June 2015. Leader of the Danish Social Liberal Party from September 2014 to Oct ...
as new leader. At the 2015 general elections, the party lost 9 out of 17 seats and was reduced to 4.6%. The party lost a share of its voters to the newly formed The Alternative, a
Green Green is the color between cyan and yellow on the visible spectrum. It is evoked by light which has a dominant wavelength of roughly 495570 Nanometre, nm. In subtractive color systems, used in painting and color printing, it is created by ...
political party formed by former member of the party
Uffe Elbæk Uffe Elbæk (born 15 June 1954) is a Danish politician, social worker, author, journalist, entrepreneur. In 2013 he founded the green political party The Alternative, which he led until February 2020. He is an independent member of the Folketin ...
. At the 2019 general elections, the party rose to 8.6% of the vote, doubling its number of seats to 16. Østergaard stated that he would support a government led by the Social Democrats only if changes would be made to the previous government's strict immigration policies. On 7 October 2020 Morten Østergaard stepped down as leader of the party following allegations of
sexual harassment Sexual harassment is a type of harassment involving the use of explicit or implicit sexual overtones, including the unwelcome and inappropriate promises of rewards in exchange for sexual favors. Sexual harassment includes a range of actions fro ...
from within the party.
Sofie Carsten Nielsen Sofie Carsten Nielsen (born 24 May 1975) is a Danish politician, who was formerly the leader of the Danish Social Liberal Party from October 2020 to November 2022. In the 2000s, Nielsen began her political career with the European Parliament as a ...
was elected new leader the same day. Nielsen resigned on 2 November 2022 following the loss of 9 out of 16 seats in the
2022 Danish general election General elections were held in the Kingdom of Denmark on 1 November 2022, except in the Faroe Islands, where they were held on 31 October as 1 November was a national day of mourning for victims at sea. Of the 179 members of the Folketing, 175 w ...
. The Social Liberal Party had instigated the election by threatening a
vote of no confidence A motion of no confidence, also variously called a vote of no confidence, no-confidence motion, motion of confidence, or vote of confidence, is a statement or vote about whether a person in a position of responsibility like in government or mana ...
against
Mette Frederiksen Mette Frederiksen (; born 19 November 1977) is a Danish politician who has been Prime Minister of Denmark since June 2019, and Leader of the Social Democrats since June 2015. The second woman to hold either office, she is also the youngest prime ...
's government in July 2022 due to the 2020 Danish mink cull. One day later,
Martin Lidegaard Martin Lidegaard (born 12 December 1966 in Copenhagen) is a Danish politician who since 2022 has been political leader of the Social Liberal Party. He was Denmark's Foreign Minister in the government of Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt fro ...
became leader of the party.


Relationship to other parties

The Danish Social Liberal Party has traditionally kept itself in the centre of the political scale. Since the early 1990s, though, it has primarily cooperated with the
Social Democrats Social democracy is a political, social, and economic philosophy within socialism that supports political and economic democracy. As a policy regime, it is described by academics as advocating economic and social interventions to promote so ...
. Internationally, the party has cooperated with the Swedish Centre Party and Liberals, the Norwegian Venstre party, the Dutch
Democrats 66 Democrats 66 (; abbreviated D66, ) is a Social liberalism, social liberal List of political parties in the Netherlands, political party in the Netherlands, which positions itself in the Centrism, centre of the Left–right political spectrum, p ...
and the British Liberal Democrats.


Etymology

The literal translation of the party's name ''Radical Left'' refers to its origin as the historically radical wing of its parent party Venstre (''Left''). In a modern context, this literal translation is somewhat misleading, as the party is considered to be
centrist Centrism is a political outlook or position involving acceptance or support of a balance of social equality and a degree of social hierarchy while opposing political changes that would result in a significant shift of society strongly to Left-w ...
in the Danish
political spectrum A political spectrum is a system to characterize and classify different political positions in relation to one another. These positions sit upon one or more geometric axes that represent independent political dimensions. The expressions politi ...
. The use of ''Left'' in the name of the party, as with the Norwegian party Venstre, is meant to refer to
liberalism Liberalism is a political and moral philosophy based on the rights of the individual, liberty, consent of the governed, political equality and equality before the law."political rationalism, hostility to autocracy, cultural distaste for c ...
and not modern
left-wing politics Left-wing politics describes the range of Ideology#Political%20ideologies, political ideologies that support and seek to achieve social equality and egalitarianism, often in opposition to social hierarchy. Left-wing politics typically in ...
. The Danish Venstre was originally to the left of the
conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization i ...
and
aristocratic Aristocracy (, ) is a form of government that places strength in the hands of a small, privileged ruling class, the aristocrats. The term derives from the el, αριστοκρατία (), meaning 'rule of the best'. At the time of the word's ...
right-wing Right-wing politics describes the range of political ideologies that view certain social orders and hierarchies as inevitable, natural, normal, or desirable, typically supporting this position on the basis of natural law, economics, authorit ...
party
Højre Højre (, ''Right'') was the name of two Danish political parties of Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The c ...
, whose name meant ''Right''.


Prominent members


Prime Ministers

*
Carl Theodor Zahle Carl Theodor Zahle (19 January 1866 in Roskilde – 3 February 1946 in Copenhagen), was a Danish lawyer and politician who served as Prims Minister of Denmark from 1909 to 1910 and again from 1913 to 1920. In 1895, he was elected as a member of t ...
, Prime Minister 1909–1910 and 1913–1920, (Minister of Justice 1929–1935) *
Erik Scavenius Erik Julius Christian Scavenius (; 13 July 1877 – 29 November 1962) was the Danish foreign minister from 1909 to 1910, 1913 to 1920 and 1940 to 1943, and prime minister from 1942 to 1943, during the occupation of Denmark until the Danish elect ...
, Prime Minister 1942–1945 (de facto until 29 August 1943), (Foreign Minister 1909–1910, 1913–1920 and 1940–1943 de facto/–1945 de jure ) *
Hilmar Baunsgaard Hilmar Baunsgaard (26 February 1920, Slagelse – 30 June 1989) was a Danish politician who served as Prime Minister of Denmark from 1968 to 1971. He was a member of the Danish Social Liberal Party and the party's leader from 1968 to 1975. He wa ...
, Prime Minister 1968–1971, (Trade Minister 1961–1964)


Other Ministers

*
Edvard Brandes Carl Edvard Cohen Brandes (21 October 1847, in Copenhagen – 20 December 1931, in Copenhagen) was a Danish politician, critic and author, and the younger brother of Georg Brandes and Ernst Brandes. He had a Ph.D. in eastern philology. Biograp ...
, Finance Minister 1909–1910 and 1913–1920 *
Christopher Krabbe Christopher is the English version of a Europe-wide name derived from the Greek name Χριστόφορος (''Christophoros'' or '' Christoforos''). The constituent parts are Χριστός (''Christós''), "Christ" or "Anointed", and φέρει ...
, Defence Minister 1909–1910 *
Peter Rochegune Munch Peter Rochegune Munch (in Danish usually referred to as ''P. Munch'') (30 April 1870 – 8 July 1948) was a prominent Danish historian and politician. He was a leading member of the ''Radikale Venstre'', and represented Langeland in parliament. ...
, Minister of the Interior 1909–1910, Defence Minister 1913–1920, Foreign Minister 1929–1940 *
Poul Christensen Poul is a Danish masculine given name. It is the Danish cognate of the name Paul. Poul may refer to: People * Poul Andersen (1922–2006), Danish printer *Poul Anderson (1926–2001), American writer *Poul Erik Andreasen (born 1949), Danish foot ...
, Agriculture Minister 1909–1910 *
Ove Rode Ove Rode (31 August 1867 – 11 July 1933) was a Danish politician, writer, newspaper editor and Minister of Interior Affairs for Det Radikale Venstre. Biography As a young journalist, Rode was editor of his own newspaper, ''København'', ...
, Minister of the Interior 1913–1920 * J. Hassing-Jørgensen, Minister for Public Works 1913–1920 *
Kristjan Pedersen Kristjan is a masculine given name in the Estonian language and Slovenian language. It is a variation of the name Christian. Notable people named Kristjan include: * Kristjan Čujec (born 1988), Slovenian futsal player * Kristjan Fajt (born 1 ...
, Agriculture Minister 1913–1920 *
Bertel Dahlgaard Bertel Dahlgaard (7 November 1887 – 31 March 1972), was a Danish politician, member of Folketinget The Folketing ( da, Folketinget, ; ), also known as the Parliament of Denmark or the Danish Parliament in English, is the unicameral natio ...
, Minister of the Interior 1929–1940, Minister for Economic Affairs and Minister for Nordic Co-operation 1957–1960 *
Jørgen Jørgensen Jørgen Jørgensen (name of birth: Jürgensen, and changed to Jorgenson from 1817)Wilde, W H, ''Oxford Companion to Australian Literature'' 2nd ed. (29 March 1780 – 20 January 1841) was a Danish adventurer during the Age of Revolution. Dur ...
, Education Minister 1935–1940, 1942–1942, 1957–1960, Minister of the Interior 1942–1943 * A. M. Hansen, Education Minister 1945-1945 * Kjeld Philip, Trade Minister 1957–1960, Finance Minister 1960–1961, Minister for Economic Affairs 1961–1962 *
Karl Skytte Karl Skytte (31 March 1908 – 9 June 1986), was a Danish politician and party leader. He served as member of Folketinget for the Danish Social Liberal Party from 1947 to 1978 and as the party's leader from 1960 to 1968. He was a farmer by pro ...
, Agriculture Minister 1957–1964 * A. C. Normann, Fishery Minister 1960–1964, Fishery Minister and Minister for Greenland 1968–1971 *
Helge Larsen Helge Larsen (1915–2000) was a Danish politician. He was a member of the Danish Social Liberal Party and served as the minister of education between 1968 and 1971. Early life and education Larsen was born on 25 April 1915 in Vester Åby. He ...
, Education Minister 1968–1971 * Lauge Dahlgaard, Labour Minister 1968–1971 * Jens Bilgrav-Nielsen, Energy Minister 1988–1990 * Kristen Helveg Petersen, Education Minister 1961–1964, Minister of Culture 1968–1971 *
Niels Helveg Petersen Niels Lolk Helveg Petersen (; informally Niels Helveg; 17 January 1939 – 3 June 2017) was a Danish politician. He was Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1993 to 2000, having previously held the role of Minister for Economic Affairs between 1988 ...
, Minister for Economic Affairs 1988–1990, Foreign Minister 1993–2000 * Ole Vig Jensen, Minister of Culture 1988–1990, Education Minister, 1993–1998, Church Minister, 1996–1998 *
Lone Dybkjær Lone Dybkjær (23 May 1940 – 20 July 2020) was a Denmark, Danish politician. She served three non-consecutive terms as a member of the Folketing. Between 1988 to 1990, she was Minister for the Environment (Denmark), Minister for the Environ ...
, Minister for the Environment 1988–1990 *
Aase Olesen Aase Olesen (; 24 September 1934 – 1 February 2013) was a Danish politician for the Danish Social Liberal Party and teacher. She worked as a teacher at Hørsholm Municipal School before joining the Danish Social Liberal Party in 1967. Olesen was ...
, Social Minister 1988–1990 * Ebbe Lundgaard, Minister of Culture 1996–1998 *
Elsebeth Gerner Nielsen Elsebeth Gerner Nielsen (born 5 January 1960) is a Danish politician. Life Nielsen graduated from Odense University, and was subsequently assigned as education assistant at the university. She was elected member of Folketinget for the Danish S ...
, Minister of Culture 1998–2001 *
Marianne Jelved Marianne Bruus Jelved (née ''Hirsbro'', born 5 September 1943 in Aarhus) is a Danish politician, who is a member of the Folketing for the Danish Social Liberal Party. She was elected into parliament in the 1994 Danish general election and had pr ...
, Minister for Economic Affairs 1993–2001, Minister for Nordic Co-operation 1994–2001, Minister for Culture 2012–2015 *
Margrethe Vestager Margrethe Vestager (; born 13 April 1968) is a Danish politician currently serving as Executive Vice President of the European Commission for A Europe Fit for the Digital Age since December 2019 and European Commissioner for Competition since ...
, Education Minister 1998–2001, Church Minister 1998–2000, Minister for Economic and Interior Affairs 2011–2014 * Anita Bay Bundegaard, Minister for Development Cooperation 2000–2001 *
Johannes Lebech Niels Johannes Lebech (born 12 September 1948) is a Danish politician. He is former Minister for Ecclesiastical Affairs for the Danish Social Liberal PartyChristian Friis Bach, Minister for Development Cooperation 2011–2013 *
Uffe Elbæk Uffe Elbæk (born 15 June 1954) is a Danish politician, social worker, author, journalist, entrepreneur. In 2013 he founded the green political party The Alternative, which he led until February 2020. He is an independent member of the Folketin ...
, Minister of Culture 2011–2012 *
Morten Østergaard Morten Østergaard (born 17 June 1976 in Aarhus) is a Danish politician who served as Denmark's Minister for Economic and Interior Affairs from 2 September 2014 to 28 June 2015. Leader of the Danish Social Liberal Party from September 2014 to Oct ...
, Minister for Research, Innovation and Higher Education 2011–2014, Minister for Taxation 2014–2014 Minister for Economic and Interior Affairs 2014-2015 *
Martin Lidegaard Martin Lidegaard (born 12 December 1966 in Copenhagen) is a Danish politician who since 2022 has been political leader of the Social Liberal Party. He was Denmark's Foreign Minister in the government of Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt fro ...
, Minister for Climate and Energy 2011–2014, Minister for Foreign Affairs 2014–2015 *
Manu Sareen Manu Sareen (born 16 May 1968 in India) is the former Minister for Equality and former Church and Nordic Cooperation, in the Cabinet of Helle Thorning-Schmidt and former and member of the Copenhagen City Council, elected for the Danish Social L ...
, Minister for Equality, Church and Nordic Cooperation 2011–2014, Minister for Integration and Social Affairs 2014–2015 * Rasmus Helveg Petersen, Minister for Development Cooperation 2013–2014, Minister for Climate and Energy 2014–2015 *
Sofie Carsten Nielsen Sofie Carsten Nielsen (born 24 May 1975) is a Danish politician, who was formerly the leader of the Danish Social Liberal Party from October 2020 to November 2022. In the 2000s, Nielsen began her political career with the European Parliament as a ...
, Minister for Research, Innovation and Higher Education 2014–2015


Political leaders

* 1905–1928:
Carl Theodor Zahle Carl Theodor Zahle (19 January 1866 in Roskilde – 3 February 1946 in Copenhagen), was a Danish lawyer and politician who served as Prims Minister of Denmark from 1909 to 1910 and again from 1913 to 1920. In 1895, he was elected as a member of t ...
* 1928–1940:
Peter Rochegune Munch Peter Rochegune Munch (in Danish usually referred to as ''P. Munch'') (30 April 1870 – 8 July 1948) was a prominent Danish historian and politician. He was a leading member of the ''Radikale Venstre'', and represented Langeland in parliament. ...
* 1940–1960:
Jørgen Jørgensen Jørgen Jørgensen (name of birth: Jürgensen, and changed to Jorgenson from 1817)Wilde, W H, ''Oxford Companion to Australian Literature'' 2nd ed. (29 March 1780 – 20 January 1841) was a Danish adventurer during the Age of Revolution. Dur ...
* 1960–1968:
Karl Skytte Karl Skytte (31 March 1908 – 9 June 1986), was a Danish politician and party leader. He served as member of Folketinget for the Danish Social Liberal Party from 1947 to 1978 and as the party's leader from 1960 to 1968. He was a farmer by pro ...
* 1968–1975:
Hilmar Baunsgaard Hilmar Baunsgaard (26 February 1920, Slagelse – 30 June 1989) was a Danish politician who served as Prime Minister of Denmark from 1968 to 1971. He was a member of the Danish Social Liberal Party and the party's leader from 1968 to 1975. He wa ...
* 1975–1978: Svend Haugaard * 1978–1990:
Niels Helveg Petersen Niels Lolk Helveg Petersen (; informally Niels Helveg; 17 January 1939 – 3 June 2017) was a Danish politician. He was Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1993 to 2000, having previously held the role of Minister for Economic Affairs between 1988 ...
* 1990–2007:
Marianne Jelved Marianne Bruus Jelved (née ''Hirsbro'', born 5 September 1943 in Aarhus) is a Danish politician, who is a member of the Folketing for the Danish Social Liberal Party. She was elected into parliament in the 1994 Danish general election and had pr ...
* 2007–2014:
Margrethe Vestager Margrethe Vestager (; born 13 April 1968) is a Danish politician currently serving as Executive Vice President of the European Commission for A Europe Fit for the Digital Age since December 2019 and European Commissioner for Competition since ...
* 2014–2020:
Morten Østergaard Morten Østergaard (born 17 June 1976 in Aarhus) is a Danish politician who served as Denmark's Minister for Economic and Interior Affairs from 2 September 2014 to 28 June 2015. Leader of the Danish Social Liberal Party from September 2014 to Oct ...
* 2020–2022:
Sofie Carsten Nielsen Sofie Carsten Nielsen (born 24 May 1975) is a Danish politician, who was formerly the leader of the Danish Social Liberal Party from October 2020 to November 2022. In the 2000s, Nielsen began her political career with the European Parliament as a ...
* 2022-present:
Martin Lidegaard Martin Lidegaard (born 12 December 1966 in Copenhagen) is a Danish politician who since 2022 has been political leader of the Social Liberal Party. He was Denmark's Foreign Minister in the government of Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt fro ...


Election results

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Parliament


Local elections


European Parliament


See also

* Liberalism and radicalism in Denmark *
Contributions to liberal theory Contribution or Contribute may refer to: * ''Contribution'' (album), by Mica Paris (1990) ** "Contribution" (song), title song from the album *Contribution (law), an agreement between defendants in a suit to apportion liability *Contributions, a ...
*
Liberal democracy Liberal democracy is the combination of a liberal political ideology that operates under an indirect democratic form of government. It is characterized by elections between multiple distinct political parties, a separation of powers into diff ...
*
Liberalism Liberalism is a political and moral philosophy based on the rights of the individual, liberty, consent of the governed, political equality and equality before the law."political rationalism, hostility to autocracy, cultural distaste for c ...
*
Liberalism worldwide This article gives information on liberalism worldwide. It is an overview of parties that adhere to some form of liberalism and is therefore a list of liberal parties around the world. Introduction The definition of liberal party is highly deba ...
*
List of liberal parties This article gives information on liberalism worldwide. It is an overview of parties that adhere to some form of liberalism and is therefore a list of liberal parties around the world. Introduction The definition of liberal party is highly deba ...
*
Radikal Ungdom The Danish Social Liberal Youth (Danish: Radikal Ungdom, literally ''Radical Youth'', abbreviated RU), is a political youth organization in Denmark, built around the ideals of social liberalism. ''Radical'' indicates a connection to 19th and 20th ...


References


External links


Det Radikale Venstre
official site
Radikale.net
official open community site
English summary

Web site of the party's youth organisation
(mainly in Danish) {{Authority control 1905 establishments in Denmark Political parties established in 1905 Liberal International Liberal parties in Denmark Radical parties Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party member parties Social liberal parties Centrist parties in Denmark Pro-European political parties in Denmark