Here's a quick resumé from Flemming Juul Christiansen of Aarhus University.
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The final result of the municipality election was as follows: percentage
vote, comparison with previous local election (and parliamentary
election 2007):
Social Democrats: 30,7% -3,7 (25,5)
Social Liberal: 3,7 -1,5 (5,1)
Conservatives: 11,0 +0,7 (10,4)
Socialist People's Party: 14,5 +7,1 (13,0)
Danish People's Party: 8,1 +2,2 (13,8)
Liberals: 24,8 -2,7 (26,5)
Liberal Alliance: 0,3 +0,3 (2,8)
Red-Green Alliance: 2,3 -0,4 (2,2)
Local lists and other: 4,6 -2,0 (0,9)
Electoral participation: 65,8 -4,1
(www.berlingske.dk/kommunalvalg-2009/saadan-blev-det-endelige-landsresultat)
The clearest result of the election was the gains for the Socialist
People's Party (SF). It is now represented almost everywhere, and also
secured a few mayors. At the previous election, the party only held one.
In most cases, however, SF supports the Social Democrats, who, despite
their own losses, will gain more mayors and probably win the leadership
of KL, an association of municipalities that bargains over the economy
with the government. The Social Democrats now control all the major
towns: Copenhagen, Århus, Aalborg and Odense. In the latter case, a
previous mayor was reinstated, though with very low personal support.
The Liberal/Conservative government lost some ground, and even more so
when counting the number of mayors. The Liberals stand to lose nine such
positions. However, the party did win Kolding, a traditional social
democratic stronghold. The Conservatives enjoyed small gains. They kept
traditional strongholds Frederiksberg and Gentofte, lost some other
positions, while winning some others. The Danish People's Party also
gained and is now also represented in most areas, but will hold no
executive positions anywhere. In percentages, the government side
actually gained a little, unless you count the local lists as
centre-right, which is in most cases the adequate description.
Due to the success of the middle-sized parties, fewer municipalities
have absolute majorities for one party. However, some Social Democrats,
especially near Copenhagen, and also two Conservatives in the same area,
enjoy this privilege. The same is the case for the Liberals in Western
Jutland, also a traditional stronghold. In the Social Liberals' usual
stronghold, Holbæk, where they held their only post as mayor outside
Copenhagen (which has a special Swiss-like system with seven mayors),
the party collapsed from five seats to one.
The low turn-out could be a result of more centralized control by the
state of the municipalities, which therefore have less political impact
on decision-making.
This is especially so concerning the regional councils. Social Democrats
won three, the Liberals one, and one council depends on the position of
a single Social Liberal.
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Nick Aylott.
--
Dr Nicholas Aylott, senior lecturer (docent) in political science
School of Social Sciences, Södertörn University, Stockholm
SE-141 89 Huddinge, Sweden
www.sh.se/statsvetenskap
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