Assessing Strength and Weakness in Legislatures: The Case of Denmark

There are at least three interrelated obstacles to overcome in understanding the power and role of contemporary parliaments. One is the dichotomous image of parliament versus government, as if the institutions were in two opposing camps. ¹ Another is a degree of misunderstanding about the ways in which parliamentary party groups and parliamentary committees operate. ² A third problem is the failure to understand the crucial role that cohesive parliamentary parties play in multiparty polities, not least during periods of minority government. ³ Based on empirical evidence from the Danish case, this article argues that much can be learned from a broader conception of parliaments in multiparty systems of governance. Moreover, what can be learned from such an exercise is probably relevant when trying to compare and classify parliaments, particularly from the perspective of policy-making power.