ABSTRACT
The Danish party system is characterized by (gradual) change within (considerable) stability. Even though the historical major parties are still the main players, other parties have reached a high level of electoral support or entered the government. While the Social Democrats historically has been the largest party with the rest of variying sizes, it no longer holds this position consistently and the party system is now characterized by three equally large parties, namely the two old parties (Social Democrats and Liberals), and the more recently created party, the Danish People’s Party. The electoral support for the four old parties established more than a hundred years ago has declined from three-quarters to half. The new parties of the earthquake election of 1973 have been replaced. The electoral success of the four new parties created since 1990 have resulted in the strengthening of the poles of the two major political dimensions of the Danish system (economic and new politics/values). In sum, while the overall number of parties has largely remained stable, replacements and shifts in electoral support have taken place.
