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Denmark

https://www.idea.int/democracytracker/

May 2024

New law expands time limit for abortion

The Danish government has reached an agreement with the Socialist Left Party, the Red Green Alliance, the Social Liberal Party and the Alternative Party to raise the limit on abortions from 12 to 18 weeks of pregnancy. The 12-week limit was in place since abortion was made legal in Denmark in 1973 and the new limit is justified as a way to give women more time to receive all information and make a decision. The new law would also allow teenagers from the age of 15, which is also the age of consent, to have an abortion without needing parental permission. The new law will take effect in June 2025, following the government's amendments to the Health Act with the new regulations.

Source: Politico, The Local, the Danish Ministry for the Interior and Health

December 2023

Parliament passes amendments against inappropriate treatment of religiously significant writings

Following Quran-burning incidents and protests, the parliament passed amendments against inappropriate treatment of writings with religious significance for any recognized religious communities, including banning the burning of the Quran. The aim of the new law is to protect national security. Individuals found in violation of this law may be subject to imprisonment for up to two years. The change garnered approval from 94 out of 179 members of the Danish parliament, with 77 votes against. Public acts such as burning, tearing, or defiling religious texts could lead to fines or imprisonment. Additionally, individuals who destroy a holy text on video and share the footage online may also face imprisonment. Critics contend that the legislation restricts freedom of expression.

Sources: Danish joint state legal information system (Retsinformation), Nyheder, Politico, Deutsche Welle, Reuters, International IDEA

September 2023

Presidium allows use of Greenlandic and Faroese in Parliament

On 21 September, the Presidium of the Parliament announced that speeches in Greenlandic and Faroese are permitted in the Parliament’s chamber, if the speech is translated to Danish afterwards. To facilitate the translation, funds will be provided for parliamentarians to hire interpreters. Further, the Parliament website alongside records of relevant debates will be translated and all parliamentary staff will receive training in the two regions’ histories, cultures and politics. The decision comes after Danish-Greenlandic parliamentarian Aki-Matilda Høegh-Dam spoke in Greenlandic during a debate in May, sparking discussion on the language policy of the Parliament. Greenland and the Faroe Islands are autonomous territories within the Kingdom of Denmark, which classifies Danish, Greenlandic and Faroese as official languages. The decision is widely supported among lawmakers, although some hoped for the introduction of simultaneous interpretation, as is done in the Greenlandic parliament.

Sources: DR, Euractiv, Danish Parliament

March 2023

Decision to declare parts of Syria safe endangers refugees

The Syrian province of Latakia, a stronghold of the Bashar al Assad regime, was deemed safe to return to by the Danish Refugee Appeals Board. This means that refugees from this province will have their residence permits revoked. Denmark has revoked 150 residence permits of nationals coming from Damascus since 2019. Denmark is unable to deport these asylum seekers due to lack of diplomatic relations with Syria. Most of these asylum seekers were placed in deportation centers and were left in limbo. Both Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Amnesty International have reported on the human rights abuses and persecution coming from Syrian authorities. HRW has called for the decision to be revoked and has stated the risk in Syria remains high no matter which part the refugees come from.

Sources: Reuters, Human Rights Watch, Berlingske, New York Times

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Global ranking per category of democratic performance in 2023

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Representation
10/173
Rights
1/173
Rule of Law
1/173
Participation
1/173
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Basic Information

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Population Tooltip
5 856 730
System of government
Parliamentary system
Head of government
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen (since 2019)
Head of government party
Social Democrats
Electoral system for lower or single chamber
List Proportional Representation
Women in lower or single chamber
45.3%
Women in upper chamber
Not applicable
Last legislative election
2022
Effective number of political parties Tooltip
7.57
Head of state
King Frederik X
Selection process for head of state
Hereditary or election by hereditary state rulers
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) date
06/05/2021
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) percentage of recommendations supported
70.14%
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Human Rights Treaties

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State Party State party
Signatory Signatory
No Action No action
United Nations Human Right Treaties
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
State Party
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
State Party
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
State Party
Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women
State Party
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment
State Party
Convention on the Rights of the Child
State Party
International Convention on Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families
No Action
International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance 
State Party
International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
State Party
International Labour Organisation Treaties
Forced Labour Convention
State Party
Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention
State Party
Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention
State Party
Equal Remuneration Convention
State Party
Abolition of Forced Labour Convention
State Party
Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention
State Party
Convention concerning Minimum Age for Admission to Employment
State Party
Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention
State Party
Regional Treaties
Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
State Party
Protocol to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
State Party
Protocol No. 4 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
State Party
Protocol No. 6 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
State Party
Protocol No. 7 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
State Party
Protocol No. 12 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
No Action
Protocol No. 13 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
State Party
in
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Performance by category over the last 6 months

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Representation neutral Rule of law
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Representation neutral Participation
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Global State of Democracy Indices

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Explore the indices
Representation
Representation
0
/1
high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Rights
Rights
0
/1
high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Rule of Law
Rule of Law
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/1
high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Participation
Participation
0
/1
high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4

Factors of Democratic Performance Over Time

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