United Left

The United Left (Forenede Venstre) was a political party in Denmark formed in 1870 by farmers' groups. It emerged as a counterforce to the conservative Right (Højre) party, which was established by the merger of National Liberals and Conservatives. The United Left aimed for reforms, including making the government accountable to parliament rather than the king, and advocated for a return to the 1849 constitution.1

While the United Left secured a majority in the Folketing (parliament) in 1872, conservative Prime Minister Jacob Brønnum Scavenius Estrup used provisional laws and royal support to maintain conservative policies, stalling reforms. A compromise was reached in 1894, leading to Estrup's departure. True parliamentary democracy was not achieved until the 1901 election with the rise of the Left Reform Party. The Social Democratic Party also formed in the 1870s, positioning itself further left on the political spectrum.1