Note of terminology: The 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 .
(in in
Denmark , ideologically based on
Free Market Liberalism , now a right-of-centre party. The party is a member of
Liberal International and sits with the
European Liberal Democrat And Reform Party in the
European Parliament . In the
2005 Parliamentary Elections , it received 29% of the vote, and 52 out of 179 seats. It is led by
Anders Fogh Rasmussen , the
Prime Minister , and currently governs in coalition with the
Conservative People's Party , with support from the
Danish People's Party .
Politically, ''Venstre'' is a market or classical liberal party. The current leader, , along classic liberalist lines, i.e. lower taxes, less government interference in corporate and individual matters, etc. Rasmussen has lately drifted away from his earlier views and has called liberalism an outdated ideology
{Link without Title} .
''Venstre'', or the Left in English, was founded in
1870 under the name ''Det Forenede Venstre'' (The United Left). It was formed through the merger of three parliamentary factions, all of whom had identified as leftist in the context of the time. From
1895 -
1910 it was known as ''Venstrereformpartiet'' (Left Reform Party), and after that as ''Venstre''.
''Venstre'' was traditionally a party of the landed interests, especially in the countryside. It also represented much of the rural population. After the 1960s it was reoriented as a more classical liberal party.
- 1950-53 with the Conservative People's Party
- 1968-71 with the Conservative People's Party and the Danish Social Liberal Party
- 1973-75
- 1978-79 with the Social Democratic Party
- 1982-88 with the Conservative People's Party, Centre Democrats, and the Christian People's Party
- 1988-90 with the Conservative People's Party and The Danish Social Liberal Party
- 1990-93 with the Conservative People's Party
- 2001- with the Conservative People's Party
The fact that the major right-of-centre political party in a country calls itself 'Left' is often confusing to many foreign (and sometimes Danish) observers. The name has, however, its historical explanation. At the time of its foundation, ''Venstre'' occupied the more leftist position in the then Danish parliament. Their opponents, ''Højre'' (Right), is the fore-runner of the present
Conservative People's Party . In current Danish politics there is a clear distinction between the concepts of ''Venstre'' (Left, i.e. the party bearing that name) and ''Venstrefløj'' (Left-wing, i.e. the socialist and communist parties). The use of the word for "left" in the name of the Danish political party ''
Radikale Venstre '' and the
Norwegian party ''
Venstre '' is also meant to refer to
Liberalism and not
Socialism .
Since the elections in 2001, Venstre has enacted a "tax stop" in order to halt the growth in taxes seen during the previous eight years under the Social Democrats (
Socialdemokratiet ). This tax stop has been under heavy fire from the parties on the left wing of Danish politics, allegedly for being "asocial" and "only for the rich."
It has, however, been ineffective, judging by Venstre's own intentions. The goal of the tax stop was to halt the growth of public expenditures, but even with their cuts in spending (which are opposed by the left wing), public spending has continued to rise by approximately 1% above inflation, per year.
In 2004, two small tax cuts went into effect:
First, people with jobs get a 3% tax reduction on the 5% "bottom tax" (
Danish : Bundskat). This initiative is supposed to encourage people to go off welfare, and take jobs instead.
Second, the bottom limit of the "middle tax" ( every year, over the next four years. This will limit the income stresses of middle incomes and families with children.
Venstre has so far refrained from making statements on the future of the "top tax" (Danish: Topskat) of 15%, and the
Value Added Tax (Danish: "MOMS") of 25%.
The income tax in Denmark ranges from
for ultra low income families to [44%-62% progressively for middle class families. 850,000 Danes (31% of everyone employed) pay a marginal income tax of 62%.
- Tom Matz (2004), ''Venstre ved du hvor du har'' ForlagsKompagniet : Nørhaven Book.
