Jonah Patel
Denmark is a constitutional monarchy, with the role of the monarch defined and limited by the Constitution of Denmark. The country's transition to a constitutional monarchy occurred in 1849 with the writing of its first democratic constitution, which replaced the old absolutist constitution. Denmark celebrates the adoption of its constitution on 5 June every year as Constitution Day. The Danish Constitution consists of 89 sections, structured into 11 chapters, and establishes a parliamentary system with a separation of powers between the Folketing, the government, and the courts.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date Denmark became a constitutional monarchy | 5 June 1849 |
| Type of monarchy before 1849 | Absolute monarchy |
| Type of monarchy after 1849 | Constitutional monarchy |
| Type of government | Parliamentary system |
| Type of democracy | Liberal democracy |
| Monarch's role | Ceremonial Head of State |
| Monarch's powers | Executive and legislative powers |
| Monarch's duties | Non-partisan functions such as bestowing honours and formally appointing the prime minister |
| Monarch's religion | Must be a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church |
| Royal palaces | Property of the state |
| Royal succession | Hereditary, passed to the firstborn child with equal rights for sons and daughters |
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What You'll Learn
- Denmark's monarchy was originally elective, becoming hereditary in the 17th century
- The country's first democratic constitution was written in 1849, ending absolute monarchy
- Denmark's monarch is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, serving as its ceremonial head
- The Danish monarch appoints and dismisses the Prime Minister and other ministers
- Denmark is a liberal democracy and constitutional monarchy, with a parliamentary system of governance
Denmark's monarchy was originally elective, becoming hereditary in the 17th century
Denmark's monarchy was originally an elective monarchy, with the power of the king being 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, Danish: Kongeloven). This transition from elective to hereditary monarchy also occurred in Sweden, Norway, and England.
In practice, the elective monarchy in Denmark was often just a formality, with the eldest son of the reigning monarch usually being elected. This was the case with the election of Christian I in 1448, who was the eldest son of the House of Oldenburg, the descendant of Sophia, the daughter of Valdemar IV's aunt Richeza of Denmark, Lady of Werle.
The establishment of a hereditary monarchy in 1665 by Lex Regia gave the King absolute power and male primogeniture succession. This absolute power was inherited for almost 200 years until 1848, when King Frederick VII was met with demands for a constitution and an end to absolutism.
A decisive transition to a constitutional monarchy occurred in 1849 with the writing of the first democratic constitution, replacing the old absolutist constitution. This ended the absolute monarchy and introduced democracy, limiting the King's power and making the monarch a comparatively weak constitutional figure who is dependent on Ministers for advice and Parliament to draft and pass legislation.
The Danish monarchy today is a constitutional institution, with the role of the monarch being defined and limited by the Constitution of Denmark. The monarch serves as a ceremonial Head of State and has various official, ceremonial, diplomatic, and representational duties.
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The country's first democratic constitution was written in 1849, ending absolute monarchy
Denmark is a constitutional monarchy, with the role of the monarch defined and limited by the Constitution of Denmark. The country's first democratic constitution was written in 1849, ending absolute monarchy and introducing democracy. This constitution, known as the June Constitution, altered the framework of the monarchy to a constitutional one.
The Danish monarchy can be traced back 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 in the 17th century during the reign of Frederick III.
Absolutism was introduced in 1660–1661, and the elective monarchy was de jure transformed into an inherited monarchy. This was laid down in the King's Law (Lex Regia) of 1665, which established an official absolutist constitution, with absolute power and male primogeniture succession. This absolute power was inherited for almost 200 years.
In the 19th century, there was a growing democratic movement in Denmark, and when King Frederick VII succeeded to the throne in 1848, he was met with demands for a constitution and an end to absolutism. On 5 June 1849, the first democratic constitution was ratified, ending absolute monarchy and limiting the king's power. This date is celebrated annually as Constitution Day (Danish: Grundlovsdag).
The constitution establishes Denmark as a constitutional monarchy, with a parliamentary system of governance. It creates a separation of powers between the Folketing, which enacts laws, the government, which implements them, and the courts, which make judgments about them. It also gives fundamental rights to people in Denmark, including freedom of speech, religion, association, and assembly.
The monarch of Denmark serves as a ceremonial Head of State and holds great de jure power. However, in practice, they only serve as a figurehead who does not interfere in politics. The monarch is limited to non-partisan functions, such as bestowing honours and formally appointing the Prime Minister.
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Denmark's monarch is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, serving as its ceremonial head
Denmark became a constitutional monarchy in 1849 with the writing of its first democratic constitution, which replaced the old absolutist constitution. This new constitution established the framework for a constitutional monarchy and limited the powers of the king.
The Danish monarch is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, serving as its ceremonial head. The Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Denmark, or the National Church, is the established, state-supported church in the country. It is also referred to as the Church of Denmark or "Folkekirken" in Danish, which translates to "the People's Church".
The monarch's membership in the Evangelical Lutheran Church is stipulated in the Danish Constitution, specifically in Article 6. This requirement extends to the royal princes and princesses as well, though not to their spouses. For example, prior to marrying into the Danish royal family, Prince Consort Henrik converted from Catholicism in 1968.
As the ceremonial head of the Church of Denmark, the monarch has a number of duties within the church. The monarch, along with Denmark's Parliament (the Folketing), holds the supreme secular authority over the church. The church recognises only two sacraments, Baptism and the Lord's Supper, which are usually included in the Communion Service. The church also has official rituals for confirmation, weddings, blessing of civil weddings, and funerals.
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The Danish monarch appoints and dismisses the Prime Minister and other ministers
Denmark became a constitutional monarchy in 1849 with the writing of the first democratic constitution, which replaced the old absolutist constitution. The Danish monarch, as the head of state, holds de jure executive power, but only serves as a figurehead who does not interfere in politics. The monarch's role is largely ceremonial and restricted by the convention of parliamentary democracy and the separation of powers.
The Danish monarch formally appoints and dismisses the Prime Minister and other ministers. However, in modern times, the dismissal of a Prime Minister would likely cause a constitutional crisis. The last monarch to exercise this power of dismissal was King Christian X on 28 March 1920, which sparked the 1920 Easter Crisis.
In practice, the appointment of the Prime Minister is determined by their support in the Folketing (the National Parliament). The monarch, on the responsibility of the resigning Prime Minister, cannot appoint a new Prime Minister who they expect will be met with a successful vote of no confidence. The Prime Minister is primus inter pares (first among equals) and, unlike most of their counterparts, Danish Prime Ministers can never be certain that their agenda will pass.
Following elections when there is no clear leader, the monarch will hold a "king/queen's meeting" where, after discussions and agreements, the leader of the largest alliance and the largest party within that alliance is appointed as the Prime Minister-elect. The Prime Minister-elect, along with the leaders of the junior parties, selects ministers to form a new coalition cabinet, which is then presented to the monarch. The monarch also appoints members of the judiciary, although this is considered a formality as the constitution ensures the independence of the judiciary from the Government and Parliament.
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Denmark is a liberal democracy and constitutional monarchy, with a parliamentary system of governance
Denmark is a constitutional monarchy with a rich history. The Kingdom of Denmark was consolidated in the 8th century, and the current unified kingdom was founded by the Viking kings Gorm the Old and Harald Bluetooth in the 10th century. The elective monarchy transitioned to a hereditary monarchy during the reign of Frederick III in the 17th century. Absolutism was introduced in 1660-1661, and absolute power was inherited for almost 200 years.
In 1848, King Frederick VII faced demands for a constitution and an end to absolutism. Subsequently, in 1849, Denmark became a constitutional monarchy with the writing of its first democratic constitution, ending the absolute monarchy and introducing democracy. The new constitution defined the role of the monarch and established a parliamentary system of governance. The monarch became a ceremonial head of state, with executive authority exercised on their behalf by the prime minister and other cabinet ministers.
The Danish Constitution consists of 89 sections structured into 11 chapters and guarantees fundamental rights and freedoms to all persons in Denmark. It establishes a separation of powers between the Folketing (the legislative branch), the government (the executive branch), and the courts (the judicial branch). The Folketing enacts laws, the government implements them, and the courts make judgments about them. The constitution also outlines the process for amending it, requiring approval from the Folketing and a national referendum.
Denmark is also a liberal democracy, with a tradition of democratic parties and resistance to undemocratic forces. Danish citizens over 18 years old are eligible to vote, and general elections are held every four years, although the Prime Minister can call a snap election at any time. The Prime Minister and their cabinet collectively form the government, and they are responsible for carrying out the acts of the Folketing.
The monarch in Denmark's constitutional monarchy has a limited role defined by the Constitution. While they hold executive power and are the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, their powers are rarely used independently, and they are dependent on ministers and parliament for advice and legislation. The monarch's duties include appointing the prime minister and other ceremonial, diplomatic, and representational functions.
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Frequently asked questions
Denmark became a constitutional monarchy in 1849, following the creation of the country's first democratic constitution.
Before 1849, Denmark was an absolute monarchy, with the king holding absolute power.
Denmark is currently a constitutional monarchy and a liberal democracy, governed through a parliamentary system.
