Liberal Alliance (Denmark)

{{Infobox political party

| name = Liberal Alliance

| logo = Logo of the Liberal Alliance (Denmark).svg

| logo_size = 260px

| colorcode = {{party color|Liberal Alliance (Denmark)}}

| abbreviation = LA
I{{efn|Official party letter on voting ballot}}

| leader = Alex Vanopslagh

| founder = Naser Khader (NA),
Anders Samuelsen (LA)

| foundation = {{ublist

| {{start date|2007|5|7|df=y}}{{efn|name=newalliance|as New Alliance}}

| {{start date|2008|8|27|df=y}}{{efn|name=a|as Liberal Alliance}}

}}

| headquarters = Nybrogade 10 3.sal DK-1203 København K

| youth_wing = Liberal Alliance Youth

| ideology = Classical liberalism
Right-libertarianism

| membership = {{increase}} 4,200{{Cite web |last1=Hoffmann-Hansen |first1=Henrik |last2=Nilsson |first2=Simone |last3=Jespersen |first3=Johan Storgaard |last4=Krasnik |first4=Benjamin |last5=Fabricius |first5=Kitte |last6=Schmidt |first6=Mara Malene Raun |last7=Gosmann |first7=Mie Borggreen Winther og Sara Mathilde |date=2022-10-03 |title=Overblik: Partierne i Danmark |url=https://www.kristeligt-dagblad.dk/politik-begyndere/overblik-partierne-i-danmark |access-date=2023-01-04 |website=Kristeligt Dagblad |language=da}}

| membership_year = 2021

| position = Centre-right to right-wing

| european =

| europarl = European People's Party Group{{cite web|url=https://www.eppgroup.eu/newsroom/epp-group-welcomes-new-members|title=EPP Group welcomes new members|access-date=24 June 2024}}

| affiliation1_title = Nordic affiliation

| affiliation1 = Centre Group

| affiliation2_title = Council of Europe affiliation

| affiliation2 = ALDE-PACE

| colours = {{ublist

| {{color box|{{party color|Liberal Alliance (Denmark, 2021)}}}} Navy blue (official)

| {{color box|{{party color|Liberal Alliance (Denmark)}}}} Turquoise (customary)

| {{color box|{{party color|New Alliance (Denmark)}}}} Plum{{efn|name=newalliance}}

}}

| split = Social Liberal Party
Conservative People's Party

| seats1_title = Folketing

| seats1 = {{composition bar|15|179|hex={{party color|Liberal Alliance (Denmark)}}|ref={{Efn|Only 175 of the 179 seats in the Danish Parliament, the Folketing, are obtainable by Danish political parties as Greenland and the Faroe Islands are assigned two seats each due to their status as territories in the Kingdom of Denmark.}}}}

| seats2_title = European Parliament

| seats2 = {{composition bar|1|14|hex={{party color|Liberal Alliance (Denmark)}}}}

| seats3_title = Regions{{cite web|url=http://www.statistikbanken.dk/akva3|work=Statistics Denmark|title=AKVA3: Valg til regions råd efter område, parti og stemmer/kandidater/køn|access-date=2010-06-13}}

| seats3 = {{composition bar|0|205|hex={{party color|Liberal Alliance (Denmark)}}}}

| seats4_title = Municipalities{{cite web|url=http://www.statistikbanken.dk/valgk3|work=Statistics Denmark|title=VALGK3: Valg til kommunale råd efter område, parti og stemmer/kandidater/køn|access-date=2010-06-13}}

| seats4 = {{composition bar|21|2436|hex={{party color|Liberal Alliance (Denmark)}}}}

| symbol = 50px
50px

| website = {{Official URL}}

| country = Denmark

}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2023}}

The Liberal Alliance (LA; {{IPA|da|lipəˈʁɑˀl æliˈɑŋsə|lang}}) is a classical liberal and right-libertarian political party in Denmark. The party is a component of the centre-right bloc in Danish politics.{{cite news|author=Nina Liljeqvist, Kristian Voss|url=http://cise.luiss.it/cise/2014/05/30/finland-and-denmark-the-corners-of-the-north-unprecedented-win-for-the-far-right-in-denmark-while-finland-rewards-established-parties-from-the-centre/|title=Finland and Denmark: Unprecedented win for the far-right in Denmark, while Finland rewards established parties from the centre|work=CISE|date=30 May 2014}}{{cite book|author=Foundation Schuman|title=Schuman Report on Europe: State of the Union 2012|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_pEKYEP7A_EC&pg=PA121|year=2012|publisher=Springer Science & Business Media|isbn=978-2-8178-0319-7|page=121}} The party's platform is based upon economic liberalism, promotion of tax cuts and reduction of welfare programmes, and a critical, oppositional stance towards European integration.{{cite book|author1=Carina Bischoff|author2=Marlene Wind|author-link2=Marlene Wind|chapter=Denmark|editor=Donatella M. Viola|title=Routledge Handbook of European Elections|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7stgCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA272|year=2016|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-317-50363-7|page=272}}

From November 2016 to June 2019, the Liberal Alliance (I) was part of the Lars Løkke Rasmussen III Cabinet a three-party coalition government, alongside Liberal Party ({{langx|da|Venstre}}) and the Conservative People's Party ({{langx|da|Det Konservative Folkeparti}}). At the 2022 Danish general election, the party won 14 seats. It has 15 seats after Pernille Vermund chose to join the party.

File:Liberal Alliance Teillogo.svg

History

= New Alliance (2007–2009) =

The party was founded as the New Alliance ({{langx|da|Ny Alliance}})da on 7 May 2007 by MP Naser Khader and MEP Anders Samuelsen from the Social Liberal Party and Gitte Seeberg, a Conservative People's Party MEP.{{cite news|title=New Alliance could crack government |date=2007-08-05 |publisher=The Copenhagen Post |url=http://www.cphpost.dk/get/101609.html |access-date=2007-05-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070925002309/http://www.cphpost.dk/get/101609.html |archive-date=2007-09-25 |url-status=dead }} The party supported the government of the Venstre and Conservative People's Party also endorsed by the Danish People's Party. To comply with Danish election law and to be able to stand for elections the New Alliance had to gather 19,185 signatures of supporters on special forms, the number being equivalent to one parliamentary seat in the Folketing. Each completed form had to be certified with the civil registry offices of municipalities before being collectively handed in to the Ministry of the Interior. While the New Alliance did not take any stand on this offer, the minor party Centre Democrats offered to let the New Alliance put forward candidates on their lists in the event of an election being called before the New Alliance had finished its nomination process.{{cite news | title=CD tilbyder at hjælpe Ny Alliance med underskrifter | date=2007-05-11 | publisher=Danmarks Radio | url =http://www.dr.dk/Nyheder/Politik/2007/05/11/062339.htm?rss=true | access-date = 2007-05-25 | language = da}}

On one occasion on 12 May 2007 in Horsens, the three leading figures of the party managed to collect over 2,000 signatures in one day.{{cite news | title=Ny Alliance samlede 2.000 underskrifter | date=2007-05-12 | publisher=Danmarks Radio | url =http://www.dr.dk/Nyheder/Politik/2007/05/12/164354.htm?rss=true | access-date = 2007-05-25 | language = da}} On 21 May, the party reported they were half-way, having gathered in 10,000 signatures with the requirement being 19,185 (1/175 of the votes cast at the latest general election).{{cite news | first=Mikkel | last=Gottlieb | title=Ny Alliance halvvejs i mål | date=2007-05-21 | publisher=Berlingske Tidende | url=http://www.berlingske.dk/indland/artikel:aid=898246 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20110910092832/http://www.berlingske.dk/indland/artikel:aid=898246 | url-status=dead | archive-date=2011-09-10 | access-date=2007-05-25 | language=da }} The party completed its nomination process on 29 June by being accepted on the Ministry of the Interior's list of parties eligible stand for election to the Folketing after handing in the 21,516 required signatures and was given the party letter Y.[http://www.bt.dk/article/20070629/PCPOLITIK/706290341/1828 Ny Alliance godkendt og vælger liste Y] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927225950/http://www.bt.dk/article/20070629/PCPOLITIK/706290341/1828|date=27. September 2007}} B.T., den 29. juni 2007.{{cite news | title=Ny Alliance godkendt og vælger bogstav Y| date=2007-06-21 | publisher=B.T. | url =http://www.bt.dk/article/20070629/politik/706290344/ | access-date = 2007-09-27 | language = da}} Immediately after its creation, the New Alliance had a surge of members. Just one day after the announcement of the party, more than 12,000 had registered on the party website. Three days later, 16,000 had registered and 8,000 of these had paid the membership fee.{{cite news | first=Lea | last=Wind-Friis | title=Medlemmer gider godt betale til Ny Alliance | date=2007-05-10 | publisher=Politiken | url =http://politiken.dk/indland/article303237.ece | access-date = 2007-05-13 | language = da}}

On 30 August 2007, the party publicly launched a policy programme.{{cite news|url=http://nyhederne.tv2.dk/politik/article.php/id-8099911.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20080113125253/http://nyhederne.tv2.dk/politik/article.php/id-8099911.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2008-01-13|title=Ekspert: Khader var overbevisende|publisher=TV2|language=da|date=2007-08-30|access-date=2007-08-31}} Some of the points in this programme included longer mandatory school attendance, with free food and homework aid; a European Marshall Plan to the Middle East; increasing foreign aid to 1% of GDP; increased focus on prevention in public health, with lower prices on healthy foods; and an exhaustive reform related to immigration and asylum politics.{{cite news|url=http://nyhederne.tv2.dk/politik/article.php/id-8100789.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20080113125253/http://nyhederne.tv2.dk/politik/article.php/id-8100789.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2008-01-13|title=Det støtter Ny Alliance|publisher=TV2|language=da|date=2007-08-30|access-date=2007-08-31}} In the 2007 general election held on 13 November 2007, the party won 2.8% of the vote, winning 5 of 179 seats in the Danish Parliament.

= Rebranding and Samuelsen leadership (2008–2019) =

On 29 January 2008, founding member Gitte Seeberg left the party in protest against the party's status as a right-wing party which conflicted with her own desire to form a centrist party with the goal of mitigating the influence of the Danish People's Party.{{cite news|url=http://politiken.dk/politik/article464717.ece |title=Gitte Seeberg forlader Ny Alliance |language=da |publisher=Politiken |date=2008-01-29 |access-date=2008-01-29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080201090842/http://politiken.dk/politik/article464717.ece |archive-date=2008-02-01 }} On 5 February 2008, Malou Aamund, another of the party's members of parliament, left the party and joined the governing party Venstre.{{cite news|url=http://politiken.dk/politik/article467599.ece|title=Malou Aamund forlader Ny Alliance|publisher=Politiken|language=da|date=2008-02-05|access-date=2008-02-05|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080208092519/http://politiken.dk/politik/article467599.ece|archive-date=2008-02-08}} On 24 June 2008, Jørgen Poulsen was excluded from the Liberal Alliance's parliamentary group, although not from the party itself.{{cite news|publisher=Politiken|language=da|date=2008-06-24|access-date=2008-06-24|url=http://politiken.dk/politik/article529006.ece|title=NA smider Jørgen Poulsen ud af gruppen|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080627140144/http://politiken.dk/politik/article529006.ece|archive-date=2008-06-27}} Under the new leadership of Anders Samuelsen, the party position moved towards the right, espousing economic liberalism and right-libertarian policies, with the party changing its name to the Liberal Alliance on 27 August 2008.{{cite news|publisher=Politiken |language=da |date=2008-08-28 |access-date=2008-08-28 |url=http://politiken.dk/politik/article559064.ece |title=Nu dropper Ny Alliance også navnet |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080903044251/http://politiken.dk/politik/article559064.ece |archive-date=2008-09-03 }}

On 1 September 2008, the party regained a third mandate in the parliament as Gitte Seeberg was appointed secretary general of the Danish branch of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). Her mandate was given to former deputy mayor of Slagelse, Villum Christensen.{{cite news|publisher=BT|language=da|date=2008-07-08|access-date=2008-07-08|url=http://www.bt.dk/article/20080708/politik/807080321/ |title=Seeberg giver Ny Alliance et mandat tilbage}} On 5 January 2009, founding member and party leader Naser Khader left the party, citing that he did not believe in it any longer.{{cite web|url=http://nyhederne.tv2.dk/politik/article.php/id-19620126.html|publisher=nyhederne.tv2.dk|title=Khader forlader Liberal Alliance – TV 2| date=5 January 2009 |access-date=2016-11-25}} At the time, Anders Samuelsen was scheduled to take over leadership of the party later that month. That same day, Villum Christensen expressed doubt on his future in the party.{{cite web|url=http://nyhederne.tv2.dk/politik/article.php/id-19624031.html|publisher=nyhederne.tv2.dk|title=Villum C. åbner døren for LA-exit – TV 2| date=5 January 2009 |access-date=2016-11-25}} After Khader's exit a 2009 documentary titled Dagbog fra midten (Diary from the Centre) documenting the party's founding and eventual collapse was released with scenes detailing internal disagreements between the party's lead members.{{Cite web|url=https://politiken.dk/kultur/art5056593/Dagbog-fra-midten-er-t%C3%A5krummende-underholdning|title=Kongens fald 'Dagbog fra midten' er tåkrummende underholdning|date=February 7, 2009|website=Politiken}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.dr.dk/DR2/Dokumania/Programmer/Dagbog_fra_midten/index.htm|title=Foromtale på DR's hjemmeside}}{{Cite news |last=Villesen |first=Kristian |date=7 May 2021 |title=Ny Alliance bidrog til kulturhistorien |work=Dagbladet Information |url=https://www.information.dk/debat/2022/05/ny-alliance-bidrog-kulturhistorien |access-date=14 February 2023}} Khader eventually joined the Conservatives who he represented as an MP from 2009–2011 and 2015–2021 where he after a period as an independent left politics for good in 2022.{{Cite web |title=Naser Khader |url=https://www.ft.dk/medlemmer/mf/n/naser-khader |access-date=2023-02-14 |website=Folketinget |language=da}}

In the 2009 European Parliament election, the party won 0.6% of the vote, leaving the party without representation in the European parliament. In the 2011 general election held on 15 September 2011, the party won 5.0% of the vote and 9 seats. When Malou Aamund resigned from the Folketing in June 2011, she was replaced by Professor Niels Høiby, who took his seat with the Liberal Alliance, taking their contingent in four. In the 2014 European Parliament election, the Liberal Alliance received 2.9% of the vote, again failing to return any MEPs.{{cite web|url=http://dst.dk/valg/Valg1475795/valgopg/valgopgHL.htm|publisher=dst.dk|title=Resultater – Hele landet – Europa-Parlamentsvalg søndag 25. maj 2014 – Danmarks Statistik|access-date=2016-11-25}}

In the 2015 general election held on 18 June 2015, the party won 7.5% of the vote and 13 seats in the Folketing. In its most successful constituency, Gentofte Municipality, a well-off suburb of Copenhagen, it even scored 17.5% while on Bornholm its share of votes was only 4%. Initially, the party did not participate in Lars Løkke Rasmussen's Venstre minority cabinet, but it did lent its parliamentary support to the government.

== Participation in third Løkke government ==

In late November 2016, it joined a three-party centre-right coalition government alongside Venstre and the Conservative People's Party in Løkke Rasmussen's third government. Party leader Anders Samuelsen was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs while Simon Emil Ammitzbøll-Bille took the post of Minister of the Economy and Interior. Additional cabinet members of Liberal Alliance were Merete Riisager (Minister of Education), Mette Bock (Minister of Culture), Ole Birk Olesen (Minister of Transport) and Thyra Frank (Minister for Elder Affairs).{{Cite news |url=https://www.thelocal.dk/20161128/here-is-denmarks-new-coalition-government |title=Here is Denmark's new coalition government |newspaper=The Local |date=28 November 2016}}

At the 2019 general election held on 5 June 2019, the party won 2.3% of the vote, losing 9 of its 13 seats in the Folketing.{{Cite web|url=https://kmdvalg.dk/Main/Home/FV|title=KMDValg|website=kmdvalg.dk|access-date=2019-06-13}} At the same time, party leader Anders Samuelsen failed to get reelected,{{Cite web|url=https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/politik/resultater/folketingsvalg/valgte|title=Se valgte politikere til Folketinget og deres personlige stemmer {{!}} DR|website=www.dr.dk|language=da|access-date=2019-06-13}} leading him to resign the following day.{{Cite news |last=Arp |first=Andreas |date=6 June 2019 |title=Anders Samuelsen trækker sig efter katastrofevalg |work=Altinget.dk |url=https://www.altinget.dk/artikel/anders-samuelsen-traekker-sig |access-date=24 September 2023}}

= Vanopslagh leadership (2019–present) =

On 9 June 2019, Alex Vanopslagh became the new leader of the Liberal Alliance{{cite news |last=Ingvorsen |first=Emil Søndergård |date=9 June 2019 |title=Alex Vanopslagh bliver Liberal Alliances nye politiske leder |language=da |publisher=DR |url=https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/politik/folketingsvalg/alex-vanopslagh-bliver-liberal-alliances-nye-politiske-leder |access-date=6 June 2019}} with MP Simon Emil Ammitzbøll-Bille leaving the LA on 23 October attributing political disagreements as the reason.{{Cite web |date=2019-10-23 |title=Simon Emil Ammitzbøll-Bille forlader Liberal Alliance |url=https://www.dr.dk/ligetil/simon-emil-ammitzboell-bille-forlader-liberal-alliance |access-date=2023-02-12 |website=DR |language=da-DK}} At the 2021 local elections, LA achieved its first ever mayor with LA candidate Emil Blücher becoming mayor in Solrød Municipality.{{Cite web |last=Seligmann |first=Laura Nørkjær |date=2021-11-22 |title=Efter dramatisk valg: Liberal Alliance får første borgmester |url=https://www.berlingske.dk/content/item/1608258 |access-date=2023-02-12 |website=Berlingske.dk |language=da}}{{Cite web |date=2021-11-22 |title=Nyt borgmester-kup: Liberal Alliance får første borgmesterpost |url=https://jyllands-posten.dk/politik/ECE13488070/liberal-alliance-faar-foerste-borgmesterpost-efter-dramatisk-valg-i-solroed/ |access-date=2023-02-12 |website=Jyllands-Posten |language=da}} During the election campaign to the 2022 general election, the party ran on a campaign called Du kan godt roughly translating to 'You can' or 'Yes, you can'.{{Cite web |title="Du kan godt": LA's modsvar til offerfortællingen flytter stemmer |url=https://www.altinget.dk/artikel/du-kan-godt-las-modsvar-til-offerfortaellingen-flytter-stemmer |access-date=2023-02-11 |website=Altinget.dk |language=da-DK}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.information.dk/debat/2022/08/liberal-alliances-kaekke-kan-godt-kampagne-sparker-nedad-paa-borgere-bare-kan|title=Liberal Alliances kække »Du kan godt«-kampagne sparker nedad på borgere, der ikke bare kan}} Furthermore, Vanopslagh managed to acquire a large following on the social media platform TikTok especially engaging younger voters.{{Cite web |date=2022-10-14 |title=Alex Vanopslagh kaldes 'daddy' på Tiktok og tiltrækker unge vælgere - TV 2 |url=https://nyheder.tv2.dk/politik/2022-10-14-alex-vanopslagh-kaldes-daddy-paa-tiktok-og-tiltraekker-unge-vaelgere |access-date=2023-02-11 |website=nyheder.tv2.dk |language=da-DK}}{{Cite web |last=Transbøl |first=Jonathan |date=2022-10-31 |title=Alex Vanopslagh får uvurderlig opmærksomhed for sin TikTok-succes af de etablerede medier |url=https://uniavisen.dk/alex-vanopslagh-faar-uvurderlig-opmaerksomhed-for-sin-tilstedevaerelse-paa-tiktok-af-de-etablerede-medier/ |access-date=2023-02-11 |website=Uniavisen |language=da}}{{Cite web |title=Alex Vanopslagh afslører sin TikTok-hemmelighed |url=https://www.femina.dkhttps//www.seoghoer.dk/nyheder/her-afsloerer-alex-vanopslagh-sin-tiktok-hemmelighed |access-date=2023-02-11 |website=Femina |language=da }}{{Dead link|date=June 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{Cite web |last1=okt 2022 |first1=Clock 27 |last2=Rasmussen |first2=kl 14:57 Bemærk: Artiklen er mere end 30 dage gammel Merel |title=Vanopslagh er kongen af TikTok: - Jeg er 90 procent politiker og 10 procent influencer |url=https://www.tv2fyn.dk/odense/vanopslagh-er-kongen-af-tiktok-jeg-er-90-procent-politiker-og-10-procent-influencer |access-date=2023-02-11 |website=TV2 Fyn |language=da}} At that election, the party received its best ever result receiving 7.9% equal to 14 seats making it the joint fifth-largest party in the Folketing alongside the Denmark Democrats.{{cite news | title=En dansktopsanger, en juralektor og en student: Her er Liberal Alliances nye folketingsmedlemmer | work=Politiken | date=3 November 2022 | url=https://politiken.dk/indland/politik/folketingsvalg_2022/art9062473/Her-er-Liberal-Alliances-nye-folketingsmedlemmer | language=da | access-date=1 December 2022 |url-access=subscription}} Following the formation of the SVM government, the LA is currently in opposition. On 17 January 2024, Pernille Vermund, the former leader of New Right, announced that she had joined the party.{{Cite web |date=2024-01-17 |title=Pernille Vermund bliver medlem af Liberal Alliance - TV 2 |url=https://nyheder.tv2.dk/politik/2024-01-17-pernille-vermund-bliver-medlem-af-liberal-alliance |access-date=2024-01-17 |website=nyheder.tv2.dk |language=da-DK}}

Ideology and platform

Located on the centre-right{{cite book|editor=Mark Salmon|title=Denmark – Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WuiIDwAAQBAJ&dq=classical+liberal+Liberal+Alliance&pg=PT37 |quote= Liberal Alliance Formerly New Alliance, Liberal Alliance are a center right, classical liberal party formed in 2007 by former members of the Social Liberal Party and the Conservative People's Party. |date=2019 |publisher=Kuperard|isbn=9781787029187 }}{{cite book|author=Michael Booth|title= The Almost Nearly Perfect People: Behind the Myth of the Scandinavian Utopia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wRioAQAAQBAJ&pg=PT78|year=2014|publisher=Random House|isbn=978-1-4481-9228-1|page=78}} to right-wing of the political spectrum, the Liberal Alliance has been described in ideology as liberal,{{cite book|author1=Åsa Bengtsson|author2=Kasper Hansen|author3=Ólafur Þ Harõarson |author4=Hanne Marthe Narud |author5=Henrik Oscarsson|title=The Nordic Voter: Myths of Exceptionalism|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VJ4hAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA205|year=2013|publisher=ECPR Press|isbn=978-1-907301-50-6|page=205}}{{cite book|author=Wayne C. Thompson|title=Nordic, Central, and Southeastern Europe 2013|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lQWYAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA73|year=2013|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|isbn=978-1-4758-0489-8|page=73}}{{cite book|author=Hans Slomp|title=Europe, a Political Profile: An American Companion to European Politics|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=V1uzkNq8xfIC&pg=PA415|access-date=2013-07-27|year=2011|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-0-313-39181-1|page=415}}{{Cite book |last=Bale |first=Tim |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1256593260 |title=Riding the populist wave: Europe's mainstream right in crisis |date=2021 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |others=Cristóbal Rovira Kaltwasser |isbn=978-1-009-00686-6 |location=Cambridge, United Kingdom |pages=34 |oclc=1256593260}} classical liberal,{{cite book|editor=Alastair H. Thomas|title=Historical Dictionary of Denmark (3rd ed.)|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aPq6DAAAQBAJ&pg=PA323|year= 2016|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield Publishers|isbn=978-1-4422-6465-6|page=323}}{{cite book|author1=Karina Kosiara-Pedersen|author2=Peter Kurrild-Klitgaard|chapter=Change and stability in the Danish party system|editor=Marco Lisi|title=Party System Change, the European Crisis and the State of Democracy|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IGFoDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT80|year=2019|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-1-351-37764-5|page=80}} libertarian,{{cite book|author1=John L. Campbell|author2=Ove K. Pedersen|title=The National Origins of Policy Ideas: Knowledge Regimes in the United States, France, Germany, and Denmark|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qVdzAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA176|year=2014|publisher=Princeton University Press|isbn=978-1-4008-5036-5|page=176}}{{Cite news |date=2019-11-07 |title=Here is Denmark's latest right-wing political party |url=https://www.thelocal.dk/20191107/here-is-denmarks-latest-right-wing-political-party/ |access-date=2022-12-28 |website=The Local Denmark |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Jacobsen |first=Henriette |date=2015-06-27 |title=Liberals form small, minority government in Denmark |url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/elections/news/liberals-form-small-minority-government-in-denmark/ |access-date=2022-12-28 |website=www.euractiv.com |language=en-GB}} and right-wing libertarian.{{cite book|author1=Erik Aloek|author2=Christoffer Green-Pedersen|author3=Lars Thorup Larsen|chapter=Morality Issues in Denmark: Policies Without Politics|editor1=Isabelle Engeli|editor2=Christoffer Green-Pedersen|editor3=Lars Thorup Larsen|title=Morality Politics in Western Europe: Parties, Agendas and Policy Choices|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gWhKffLMUhUC&pg=PA152|year=2012|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|isbn=9780230309333|page=152}}{{Cite journal |last=Risager |first=Bjarke Skærlund |date=2022-12-04 |title=Territorial stigmatization and housing commodification under racial neoliberalism: The case of Denmark's 'ghettos' |url=http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0308518X221141427 |journal=Environment and Planning A: Economy and Space |volume=55 |issue=4 |language=en |pages=850–870 |doi=10.1177/0308518X221141427 |s2cid=254319432 |issn=0308-518X}}

The original New Alliance considered itself a centrist party, "taking the best values of social liberalism and social conservatism".{{cite news | first=Nikolaj | last=Worm | title=Ny Alliance drager på landsturné | date=2007-05-07 | publisher=Jyllands-Posten | url=http://jp.dk/indland/article926769.ece | access-date=2011-08-26 | language=da | archive-date=25 October 2007 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071025174316/http://jp.dk/indland/article926769.ece | url-status=dead }} By using these two terms, the New Alliance positioned itself equidistant between the former parties of its founding members. Social liberalism is the official ideology of the Danish Social Liberal Party whereas social conservatism is a term sometimes invoked by members of the Conservative People's Party who stress the support of the welfare society such as Liberal Alliance co-founder Gitte Seeberg. In the earliest days of the party's existence, the party was accused of populism or personalism, still lacking stances on many topics and based on the popularity of Naser Khader.{{cite news | title=Økonom: Populistisk skatteforslag fra Ny Alliance | date=2007-05-09 | publisher=Fyens Stiftstidende | url =http://www.fyens.dk/article/797211 | access-date = 2007-05-13 | language = da }} After Gitte Seeberg left the party, the "social conservatism" part was dropped and the party name was changed to the Liberal Alliance. However, there were still considerable ideological differences among the two remaining founders and it was not until Naser Khader was replaced by Anders Samuelsen that the party took on a more classical liberal identity. The party has proposed extensive economic liberal reforms, including a tax reform replacing progressive income tax with a flat-rate income tax of 40%, halving rates of corporation tax, instigating user charges for public healthcare, abolishing early retirement schemes and reassessing everyone receiving disability benefits.[http://cphpost.dk/news/against-the-grain.1118.html "Against the grain"], The Copenhagen Post, March 25, 2012

In 2011, the party opposed the government's entry of Denmark into the Euro Plus Pact and continues to maintain a staunch opposition to Denmark entering the eurozone.{{cite web |url=https://www.liberalalliance.dk/politik/eu/ |title=EU policy- A leaner EU |access-date=2022-12-11}} On the matter of European Union membership, the party supports a radically reinvented European Union based on free trade and in 2022 called for a "slimmed down" EU based solely on economic partnership while restoring political sovereignty from Brussels to national parliaments. Individual politicians in the Liberal Alliance and its youth wing support Denmark exiting the EU (Danexit), although remaining in the single market.{{cite news|title=Political majority agree to euro pact |url=http://www.cphpost.dk/news/137-eu-news/51286-political-majority-agree-to-euro-pact.html |newspaper=The Copenhagen Post |date=24 March 2011 |access-date=2011-05-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110326122049/http://www.cphpost.dk/news/137-eu-news/51286-political-majority-agree-to-euro-pact.html |archive-date=26 March 2011 }} The Liberal Alliance is the only party in Denmark that supports nuclear power.{{cite news|title=Fukushima spurs nuclear opposition |url=http://www.cphpost.dk/news/scitech/92-technology/51520-fukushima-spurs-nuclear-opposition.html |newspaper=The Copenhagen Post |date=29 April 2011 |access-date=2011-05-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110510131948/http://www.cphpost.dk/news/scitech/92-technology/51520-fukushima-spurs-nuclear-opposition.html |archive-date=10 May 2011 }} In 2009, the party voted against subsidies for environmentalist renovations without significant tax cuts.{{cite news |title=Liberal Alliance blocks 'green' renovation package |url=http://www.cphpost.dk/news/politics/90-politics/45083-liberal-alliance-blocks-green-renovation-package.html |newspaper=The Copenhagen Post |date=17 March 2010 |access-date=2011-05-18}} In 2011, the Red–Green Alliance and the Liberal Alliance were the only parties whose MPs supported equalising MPs' age of retirement with the rest of the country.{{cite news |title=MPs do about face on luxury pension plan |url=http://www.cphpost.dk/news/politics/90-politics/51606-mps-do-about-face-on-luxury-pension-plan.html |newspaper=The Copenhagen Post |date=11 May 2011 |access-date=2011-05-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111201005443/http://cphpost.dk/news/politics/90-politics/51606-mps-do-about-face-on-luxury-pension-plan.html |archive-date=1 December 2011 }}

The Liberal Alliance has supported the rights of same-sex couples to marry and adopt,{{cite news |title=Church minister to consider gay partnerships |url=http://www.cphpost.dk/news/politics/90-politics/48451-church-minister-to-consider-gay-partnerships.html |newspaper=The Copenhagen Post |date=9 March 2010 |access-date=2011-05-18 |archive-date=30 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111130205702/http://cphpost.dk/news/politics/90-politics/48451-church-minister-to-consider-gay-partnerships.html |url-status=dead }} helping to pass both into law. The party opposed the reintroduction of border controls in 2011 and supported the dismantling of them later in that year.{{cite news |title=Border controls pass, despite objections |url=http://www.cphpost.dk/news/national/88-national/51886-border-controls-pass-despite-objections.html |newspaper=The Copenhagen Post |date=4 July 2011 |access-date=2011-05-18}} It supports ending the ban on foreigners owning holiday homes in Denmark.{{cite news |title=Poll results: do away with summerhouse 'double standard' |url=http://www.cphpost.dk/news/politics/90-politics/51950-poll-results-do-away-with-summerhouse-double-standard.html |newspaper=The Copenhagen Post |date=1 August 2011 |access-date=2011-05-18}} On 30 August 2011, with 5.0% voter support, Simon Emil Ammitzbøll-Bille told on air to Danish Radio that a vote for the Liberal Alliance is a vote for free hashish.{{Cite news|url=http://ekstrabladet.dk/nationen/article4081250.ece|title=Liberal Alliance: Ja til fri hash|access-date=2017-01-20}} Voter support increased to 7.5% following the statement. In parliament, the party supported the reduction of vehicle registration fees.{{Cite news|url=http://jyllands-posten.dk/politik/ECE9162865/registreringsafgiften-paa-biler-saenkes-igen-i-finansloven/|title=Registreringsafgiften på biler sænkes igen i finansloven|language=da|access-date=2017-01-20}}

Organisation

= Former logos =

Liberal Alliance Logo 01.svg|2011–2016

Liberal Alliance Logo.svg|2016–2019

= Leaders =

The party has had the following leaders since its foundation:

{{Officeholder table start

| showorder = y

| showimage = y

| officeholder_title = Leader

| showtermlenght = y

| showelection = n

| showparty = n

| showref = y

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 1

| image = Naser Khader-2011-09-09.jpg

| officeholder = Naser Khader

| officeholder_sort = Khader, Naser

| born_year = 1963

| died_year =

| term_start = 7 May 2007

| term_end = 5 January 2009

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2007|05|07|2009|01|05}}

| ref = {{cite news |last1=Larsen |first1=Erling Tind |title=Naser Khader forlader Liberal Alliance |url=https://ekstrabladet.dk/nyheder/politik/article4296514.ece |access-date=5 January 2009 |work=Ekstra Bladet |date=5 January 2009 |language=da}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 2

| image = President Reuven Rivlin met with the Danish Foreign Minister the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Costa Rica (6610) (cropped).jpg

| officeholder = Anders Samuelsen

| officeholder_sort = Samuelsen, Anders

| born_year = 1967

| died_year =

| term_start = 5 January 2009

| term_end = 6 June 2019

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2009|01|05|2019|06|06}}

| ref = {{cite news |last1=Miles |first1=James Kristoffer |title=Samuelsen trækker sig |url=https://ekstrabladet.dk/nyheder/politik/valg19/samuelsen-traekker-sig/7663094 |access-date=6 June 2019 |work=Ekstra Bladet |date=6 June 2019 |language=da}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 3

| image = 20190614 Folkemodet Bornholm Alex Vanopslagh 0023 (48068924741) (cropped).jpg

| officeholder = Alex Vanopslagh

| officeholder_sort = Vanopslagh, Alex

| born_year = 1991

| died_year =

| term_start = 9 June 2019

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2019|06|09}}

| ref = {{cite news |title=Nyudnævnt LA-leder: Nu starter vi et nyt kapitel |url=https://www.berlingske.dk/politik/nyudnaevnt-la-leder-nu-starter-vi-et-nyt-kapitel |access-date=9 June 2019 |work=Berlingske |date=9 June 2019 |language=da}}

}}

{{Officeholder table end}}

= Funding =

The party received donations from the investment bank Saxo Bank (500,000 Danish kroner) and the businessman Lars Kolind (100,000 kroner).{{citation needed|date=August 2015}} As of 22 May 2007, the party had seven paid employees and a number of volunteers. The party announced it would not hire additional employees until it had more funds.{{cite news|first=Hanne Gaard |last=Mortensen |title=Ny Alliance i ansættelsesstop |date=2007-05-22 |publisher=dk-arbejdsmarked.dk |url=http://www.dk-arbejdsmarked.dk/seneste_nyt.html?id=24008 |access-date=2007-05-25 |language=da |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929035957/http://www.dk-arbejdsmarked.dk/seneste_nyt.html?id=24008 |archive-date=2007-09-29 }}

= Liberal Alliance Youth =

{{Main|Liberal Alliance Youth}}

File:Liberal Alliances Ungdom logo.png

On 23 February 2008, a youth wing to the party was formed by 21 people under the name of Young Alliance ({{langx|da|Ung Alliance}}).{{cite news|publisher=Politiken|language=da|date=2008-02-23|access-date=2008-02-23|url=http://politiken.dk/politik/article475158.ece|title=21 unge stifter Ung Alliance|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080226160814/http://politiken.dk/politik/article475158.ece|archive-date=2008-02-26}} When the party changed its name to the Liberal Alliance, the youth branch followed suit changing its name to the Liberal Alliance Youth (Liberal Alliances Ungdom) whose current chairman is Simon Fendinge Olsen.{{Cite web |title=Forretningsudvalget |url=https://www.laungdom.dk/foreningens-struktur/forretningsudvalget/ |access-date=2022-12-28 |website=Liberal Alliances Ungdom |language=en-US}}

= European parliament affiliation =

At its formation, two MEPs joined the party. With the defection of MEPs Gitte Seeberg and Anders Samuelsen, the Conservatives and the Danish Social Liberal Party were effectively left without representation in the European Parliament. The two MEPs did stay in their parliamentary groups (EPP-ED and ALDE, respectively). Both resigned from the European Parliament after being elected to the Danish Parliament in November 2007. The Liberal Alliance announced that it would join the ALDE group after future European Parliament elections.{{cite news|first=Kenneth|last=Lund|title=Ny Alliance udraderer R og K i EU-parlamentet|date=2007-05-07|publisher=Politiken|url=http://politiken.dk/eu/article299658.ece|access-date=2007-05-13|language=da|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070509033336/http://politiken.dk/eu/article299658.ece|archive-date=2007-05-09|url-status=dead}} However, the party failed to achieve representation in the European Parliament in both the 2009, 2014 and 2019 European Parliament elections. At the 2024 elections, Henrik Dahl, national MP for the party since 2015, was elected to the European Parliament. Before the election, the party had announced that rather than seeking to join the liberal Renew Europe group (previously ALDE), they would apply to join the conservative EPP group.-

Election results

= Parliament =

class="wikitable" style="text-align:right;"
Election

! Votes

! %

! Seats

! +/-

! Government

2007{{efn|name=newalliance}}

| 97,295

| 2.8 (#7)

| {{composition bar|5|179|{{party color|Liberal Alliance (Denmark)}}}}

| {{increase}} 5

| {{no2|Opposition}}

2011

| 176,585

| 5.0 (#7)

| {{composition bar|9|179|{{party color|Liberal Alliance (Denmark)}}}}

| {{increase}} 4

| {{no2|Opposition}}

rowspan=2| 2015

|rowspan=2| 265,129

|rowspan=2| 7.5 (#5)

|rowspan=2| {{composition bar|13|179|{{party color|Liberal Alliance (Denmark)}}}}

|rowspan=2| {{increase}} 4

| {{partial2|External support}} {{small|(2015–2016)}}

{{yes2|Coalition}} {{small|(2016–2019)}}
2019

| 82,228

| 2.3 (#10)

| {{composition bar|4|179|{{party color|Liberal Alliance (Denmark)}}}}

| {{decrease}} 9

| {{no2|Opposition}}

2022

| 278,656

| 7.9 (#6)

| {{composition bar|14|179|{{party color|Liberal Alliance (Denmark)}}}}

| {{increase}} 10

| {{no2|Opposition}}

=Local elections=

valign="top"|

;Municipal elections

{| class="wikitable" width="250px" style="text-align: center"

!rowspan="2"|Year

!colspan="2"|Seats

#

! ±

2009

| {{Composition bar|1|2468|{{party color|Liberal Alliance (Denmark)}}}}

|New

2013

| {{Composition bar|33|2444|{{party color|Liberal Alliance (Denmark)}}}}

|{{increase}} 32

2017

| {{Composition bar|28|2432|{{party color|Liberal Alliance (Denmark)}}}}

|{{decrease}} 5

2021

| {{Composition bar|9|2436|{{party color|Liberal Alliance (Denmark, 2021)}}}}

|{{decrease}} 19

|width="33"| 

|valign="top"|

;Regional elections

class="wikitable" width="280px" style="text-align: center"
rowspan="2"|Year

!colspan="2"|Seats

#

! ±

2009

| {{Composition bar|0|205|{{party color|Liberal Alliance (Denmark)}}}}

|New

2013

| {{Composition bar|5|205|{{party color|Liberal Alliance (Denmark)}}}}

|{{increase}} 5

2017

| {{Composition bar|5|205|{{party color|Liberal Alliance (Denmark)}}}}

|{{steady}} 0

2021

| {{Composition bar|0|205|{{party color|Liberal Alliance (Denmark, 2021)}}}}

|{{decrease}} 5

|width="33"| 

|valign="top"|

;Mayors

class="wikitable" width="280px" style="text-align: center"
rowspan="2"|Year

!colspan="2"|Seats

No.

2009

|{{composition bar|0|98|{{party color|Liberal Alliance (Denmark)}}}}

|{{steady}} 0

2013

|{{composition bar|0|98|{{party color|Liberal Alliance (Denmark)}}}}

|{{steady}} 0

2017

|{{composition bar|0|98|{{party color|Liberal Alliance (Denmark)}}}}

|{{steady}} 0

2021

|{{composition bar|1|98|{{party color|Liberal Alliance (Denmark, 2021)}}}}

|{{increase}} 1

|}

=European Parliament=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

! Year

! List leader

! Votes

! %

! Seats

! +/–

! EP Group

2009

| Benjamin Dickow

| 13,796

| 0.59 (#9)

| {{Composition bar|0|13|Liberal Alliance (Denmark)}}

| New

| rowspan=3| –

2014

| Christina Egelund

| 65,480

| 2.88 (#8)

| {{Composition bar|0|13|Liberal Alliance (Denmark)}}

| {{Steady}} 0

2019

| Mette Bock

| 60,693

| 2.20 (#10)

| {{Composition bar|0|14|Liberal Alliance (Denmark)}}

| {{Steady}} 0

2024

| Henrik Dahl

| 170,199

| 6.95 (#8)

| {{Composition bar|1|15|{{party color|Liberal Alliance (Denmark)}}}}

| {{Increase}} 1

| EPP

= Party Congresses =

{{Unfinished list|date=April 2024}}

{{Col-begin}}

{{Col-break}}

  • 1. landsmøde 2024 13. april{{Cite web |last=Ungdom |first=Ezekiel Rohde medlem af Forretningsudvalget, Liberal Alliances |date=2024-05-21 |title=Ledende medlem af LA Ungdom langer ud efter Alex Vanopslagh: Han har glemt, hvem Liberal Alliance er |url=https://www.berlingske.dk/content/item/1787946 |access-date=2024-05-21 |website=Berlingske.dk |language=da}}

{{col-end}}

See also

Notes

{{notelist}}

References

{{reflist}}