Bucking the trend: The extraordinary bounce back of the Danish center-left

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The support for the Danish Social Democratic Party has declined from its historical peaks, but it has managed to maintain the stable backing of approximately 25 percent of the voters over the last 15 years. If the Party attracts a sufficient number of voters in its traditional working-class base, there is a Center-Left government. If that is not the case, the Center-Right assumes power. The refusal of the Social Democrats to acknowledge the negative effects of immigration is often said to be a strong cause explaining the decline of the European Center-Left. In Denmark, however, after 2015 with Mette Frederiksen as head of the Social Democratic Party, the Party has been very clear about the negative effects of immigration, not least for the working class and the neighborhoods where the working class mainly live. Besides, the Party has profoundly changed its policy line from a liberal to a restrictive immigration policy. The change seems to be the most decisive factor explaining why the Danish Social Democratic Party has not suffered from a decline in recent years, why it has regained executive power.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationThe Resistible Corrosion of Europe's Center-Left After 2008
EditorsGeorg Menz
Number of pages21
Place of PublicationLondon
PublisherTaylor & Francis
Publication date2022
Pages170-190
Chapter9
ISBN (Print)9781003275206
ISBN (Electronic)9781000634464
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2022

ID: 347109079