History
The party was formed in 1989 as an electoral alliance by three left-wing parties, Left Socialists (VS), Communist Party of Denmark (DKP) and Socialist Workers Party (SAP). Originally the plan was to unite these parties alongside the Green Party (De Grønne), Common Course and Humanist to form a broad-based progressive movement, but this did not materialize. A fourth party, the Communist Workers Party (KAP), joined Enhedslisten in 1991. One year earlier the entrance of KAP was vetoed by DKP. KAP was dissolved in 1994.
Prior to the 2007 parliamentary election, the party enlisted Asmaa Abdol-Hamid, a candidate who identifies herself as a Muslim and a socialist. She is endorsed by some imams, opposed by others (including those in Hizb-ut-Tahrir), wears an Islamic headscarf and will not shake hands with men. These facts, and some of her statements regarding politics and religion, made her the target of much criticism from across the political spectrum. Prominent left wing figures also cited her candidacy as a reason for withdrawing their support from the party. An anti-religious network was created within the party with the stated goal of turning the party into a solely atheist party with a materialist–Marxist basis.
During the campaigning there was some speculation as to whether her candidacy would attract or repel voters. The results of the election were 2.2% for the party, down from 3.4% in the 2005 parliamentary elections. Although not elected, Abdol-Hamid maintained that she had attracted voters to the party. The four seats won by the party went to Frank Aaen, Johanne Schmidt-Nielsen, Line Barfod, and Per Clausen. Asmaa Abdol-Hamid was chosen as substitute for the frontrunner of Enhedslisten in the parliament.
In the 2011 parliamentary election, the party received 6.7% of the votes and went from 4 to 12 seats.
Read more about this topic: Red-Green Alliance (Denmark)
Famous quotes containing the word history:
“Indeed, the Englishman’s history of New England commences only when it ceases to be New France.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“Every generation rewrites the past. In easy times history is more or less of an ornamental art, but in times of danger we are driven to the written record by a pressing need to find answers to the riddles of today.... In times of change and danger when there is a quicksand of fear under men’s reasoning, a sense of continuity with generations gone before can stretch like a lifeline across the scary present and get us past that idiot delusion of the exceptional Now that blocks good thinking.”
—John Dos Passos (1896–1970)
“The history of our era is the nauseating and repulsive history of the crucifixion of the procreative body for the glorification of the spirit.”
—D.H. (David Herbert)