This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Togeby, L. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

The Political Representation of Ethnic Minorities

Denmark as a Deviant Case

Department of Political Science, University of Aarhus, Bartholins Allé, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark, ltogeby{at}ps.au.dk, ltogeby{at}webspeed.dk

In general, ethnic minorities are strongly under-represented in representative bodies; however, there is no rule without exceptions. In the municipal elections in Denmark in 2001, the number of ethnic minorities who won election to the local councils throughout the country almost corresponded to their percentage in the general population. The explanation for this can be found in the Danish local election system, with its combination of proportional representation and preferential voting. This system is exceptionally conducive to collective mobilization, which results in a relatively high voter turnout among ethnic minorities and a fair representation in local councils. Since 1981, foreign citizens with permanent residence in Denmark have had the right to vote in local elections. This article describes the development in the representation of ethnic minorities since that time based on a study of all the municipalities in Denmark.

Key Words: Denmark • electoral systems • ethnic minorities • political representation

Party Politics, Vol. 14, No. 3, 325-343 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/1354068807088125


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?