Omar Bennett
Denmark is a constitutional monarchy, with a democratically elected parliament. The monarch is the head of state but has limited powers and is unable to independently perform political acts. The monarch's role is largely ceremonial and non-political, and they are dependent on ministers for advice and parliament to draft and pass legislation. The Danish Constitution of 1849 outlines the country's political system, justice system, and the rights of its citizens, including freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom of assembly.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of monarchy | Constitutional monarchy |
| Monarch's role | Head of State, ceremonial figurehead |
| Monarch's powers | Limited powers, cannot perform political acts independently |
| Monarch's duties | Signing Acts of Parliament, participating in government formation, representing Denmark abroad, charity and volunteering |
| Political system | Parliamentary democracy |
| Legislative branch | Folketing |
| Executive branch | Danish government |
| Judicial branch | Courts of Denmark |
| Constitution | Consists of 89 sections in 11 chapters, establishes rights and freedoms, outlines justice system |
| Constitutional adoption | 1849, ended absolute monarchy |
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What You'll Learn
The Danish monarch's powers and responsibilities
Denmark has a constitutional monarchy, which means that while the monarch has executive authority over the government, they cannot perform political acts independently. The monarch's role is defined and limited by the Constitution of Denmark. The Danish constitution consists of 89 sections, structured into 11 chapters.
The monarch's main tasks are to represent Denmark abroad and to be a figurehead at home. They are the ceremonial head of state and the formal head of the government. They participate in the formation of a new government and formally appoint it. They also preside over the State Council, where acts passed by the Folketing (the Danish Parliament) are signed into law. The Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs report regularly to the King to inform him of political developments. The monarch also has a number of duties within the Church of Denmark and is considered its ceremonial head.
While the monarch signs all Acts of Parliament, these only come into force when countersigned by a Cabinet Minister. The monarch's powers are limited to non-partisan functions such as bestowing honours. The political system of Denmark can be described as a democracy with a parliamentary system of governance. The powers of the state are separated into three different branches: the legislative branch (held by the Folketing), the executive branch (held by the Danish government), and the judicial branch (held by the Courts of Denmark).
The Danish monarchy was originally elective, but in practice, the eldest son of the reigning monarch was elected. In the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance, the power of the king was tempered by a håndfæstning, a coronation charter each king had to sign before being accepted as king by the nobility. This tradition was abandoned in 1665 when King Frederick III established a hereditary absolute monarchy by Lex Regia (The Law of The King). This lasted for almost 200 years until King Frederick VII accepted the end of absolutism in 1848, leading to the June Constitution of 1849, which created the framework of a constitutional monarchy for Denmark.
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The Danish Constitution
Denmark has a constitutional monarchy, which means that the monarch cannot independently perform political acts. The Danish Constitution, also known as the Grundlov or "basic law", was signed by King Frederik VII in 1849, converting the Danish monarchy into a constitutional monarchy. This ended an absolute monarchy and introduced democracy.
The Constitution consists of 89 sections, structured into 11 chapters. It establishes Denmark as a constitutional monarchy, where the monarch serves as a ceremonial head of state. The title of monarch is hereditary and passed on to the firstborn child, with equal rights for sons and daughters. The monarch has a number of duties within the Church of Denmark and is considered its ceremonial head. The Constitution requires the monarch to be a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, though not necessarily the Church of Denmark.
The Constitution also gives a number of fundamental rights to people in Denmark, including freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of association, and freedom of assembly. These rights are enshrined in the current constitution, along with other civil rights such as habeas corpus and private property rights. The Constitution applies to all persons in Denmark, not just Danish citizens.
The Danish Parliament, or Folketing, has a multi-party structure, with representatives from 15 parties. The Folketing is the legislative branch of Denmark, located at Christiansborg. It consists of 179 members, of which 2 members are elected in Greenland and 2 in the Faroe Islands. The Constitution establishes a separation of powers between the Folketing, which enacts laws, the government, which implements them, and the courts, which make judgments about them.
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The Danish monarchy's history
The Danish monarchy is one of the oldest in the world, with a history that can be traced back over a thousand years to Gorm the Old, who died in 958. The current unified Kingdom of Denmark was founded or reunited by the Viking kings Gorm the Old and Harald Bluetooth in the 10th century. Originally an elective monarchy, it became hereditary only in the 17th century during the reign of Frederick III.
During the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance, the power of the king was tempered by a håndfæstning, a coronation charter each king had to sign before being accepted as king by the nobility. This tradition was abandoned in 1665 when King Frederick III of Denmark established a hereditary absolute monarchy by Lex Regia (The Law of The King). This was Europe's only formal absolutist constitution, and absolute power was inherited for almost 200 years.
A decisive transition to a constitutional monarchy occurred in 1849 with the writing of the first democratic constitution, replacing the vast majority of the old absolutist constitution. The adoption of the Constitution in 1849 ended an absolute monarchy and introduced democracy. Denmark celebrates the adoption of the Constitution on 5 June every year as Constitution Day. The main principle of the Constitutional Act was to limit the King's power. It creates a comparatively weak constitutional monarch who is dependent on Ministers for advice and Parliament to draft and pass legislation.
The current Royal House is a branch of the ducal House of Glücksburg, originally from Schleswig-Holstein in modern-day Germany. The House of Glücksburg also produced the monarchs of Norway, the United Kingdom, and the former monarch of Greece in the direct male line.
The Danish monarch has a limited role in the government of Denmark under the Danish constitution. The monarch cannot independently perform political acts and, in practice, is limited to non-partisan functions such as bestowing honours and formally appointing the prime minister. The monarch also has a number of duties within the Church of Denmark and is considered its ceremonial head.
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The Danish Royal Family's residences
Denmark has a constitutional monarchy, which means that while the monarch is the ceremonial head of state, they cannot perform political acts independently. The current monarch, Queen Margrethe II, resides in Christian IX's Palace at Amalienborg, which is the royal family's official winter residence. Amalienborg is located in Copenhagen and consists of four different palaces and identical classicizing palace facades with rococo interiors arranged around an octagonal courtyard.
Frederick VIII's Palace, also known as Brockdorff's Palace, is the northeastern palace at Amalienborg and is the home of King Frederik X and Queen Mary. Christian VIII's Palace houses the Amalienborg Museum and has apartments for other members of the royal family, while Christian VII's Palace is used for official events and to accommodate guests.
Fredensborg Palace, located on the island of Zealand, is the Danish royal family's spring and autumn residence and is often the site of important state visits and events. Marselisborg Palace in Aarhus is the summer residence of the royal family, and Gråsten Palace in Southern Denmark is their second summer residence. The royal family also owns the Château de Cayx and the Royal Yacht Dannebrog, which serves as an official and private residence during overseas visits and summer cruises.
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The Danish Supreme Court
Denmark has a constitutional monarchy, where the monarch is a ceremonial head of state. The country's political system is a democracy with a parliamentary system of governance. The Danish Supreme Court, or Højesteret, is the final instance in all civil and criminal cases in the Kingdom of Denmark. It is based in Copenhagen, at Christiansborg Palace, which also houses the Danish Parliament and the Prime Minister's office. The Supreme Court was founded on 14 February 1661 by King Frederik III as a replacement for King Christian IV's King's Court.
The Supreme Court functions as an appellate court for cases from the subordinate courts. It is split into two chambers, and a case is heard by at least five judges. The Supreme Court does not deal with the issue of guilt in criminal cases, but the basis on which the lower court reached its verdict may be considered and edited. In criminal jury trials, the defence may appeal on grounds of judicial error regarding the judges' direction to the jury.
The Judges of the Supreme Court are appointed by the Minister of Justice on the recommendation of the Independent Board of Judges. One of the Supreme Court justices is the court's president, appointed by the other judges. The Supreme Court has the power to commute criminal sentences, which was written into the constitution of 1849. From its foundation until the adoption of this constitution, the court was formally an instrument of the king, deciding cases by a majority vote in the king's absence.
The Supreme Court has the authority to declare laws unconstitutional and void. This right was established at the beginning of the 20th century when it decided to hear cases about the constitutionality of land laws. The only time the Supreme Court has ruled a law unconstitutional was in 1999, when it found that the Tvind law breached the principle of separation of powers.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Denmark is a constitutional monarchy, established by King Frederik VII when he signed the Constitutional Act of Denmark in 1849.
The monarch is the ceremonial head of state and is responsible for representing Denmark abroad and being a figurehead at home. They also have a number of duties within the Church of Denmark, of which they are considered the ceremonial head. While the monarch signs all Acts of Parliament, these only come into force when they are countersigned by a Cabinet Minister.
Denmark is a parliamentary democracy with a separation of powers between the legislative branch (the Folketing), the executive branch (the Danish government), and the judicial branch (the Courts of Denmark).
The Folketing is the Danish Parliament and is responsible for enacting laws. Each year, it considers 200-300 proposed bills, most of which are prepared by the heads of ministries, although members of Parliament can also propose legislation.
The Danish monarch formally signs bills passed by Parliament into law. However, they cannot independently perform political acts and are dependent on ministers for advice.
