112-683: Confidence and supply (5) Opposition (88) Crossbench (11) The Folketing ( Danish : Folketinget , pronounced [ˈfʌlkəˌtsʰe̝ŋˀð̩] ; lit. ' The people's thing ' or ' People's assembly ' ), also known as the Parliament of Denmark or the Danish Parliament in English, is the unicameral national legislature ( parliament ) of the Kingdom of Denmark — Denmark proper together with
224-638: A subsoil of flint-layered limestone deposited in the Danian period some 60 to 66 million years ago. Some greensand from the Selandian is also present. There are a few faults in the area, the most important of which is the Carlsberg fault which runs northwest to southeast through the centre of the city. During the last ice age, glaciers eroded the surface leaving a layer of moraines up to 15 m (49 ft) thick. Geologically , Copenhagen lies in
336-467: A 24-hour period during the winter months while summer temperatures have been known to rise to heights of 33 °C (91 °F). Because of Copenhagen's northern latitude, the number of daylight hours varies considerably between summer and winter. On the summer solstice, the sun rises at 04:26 and sets at 21:58, providing 17 hours 32 minutes of daylight. On the winter solstice, it rises at 08:37 and sets at 15:39 with 7 hours and 1 minute of daylight. There
448-465: A city go back at least to the 11th century. Substantial discoveries of flint tools in the area provide evidence of human settlements dating to the Stone Age . Many historians believe the town dates to the late Viking Age , and was possibly founded by Sweyn I Forkbeard . The natural harbour and good herring stocks seem to have attracted fishermen and merchants to the area on a seasonal basis from
560-779: A confidence-and-supply agreement with the Liberal Party , in a deal which became known as the Lib-Lab Pact . In return, the Labour Party agreed to modest policy concessions for the Liberal Party. In the aftermath of the 2017 general election which left Theresa May 's Conservative Party without a majority, a confidence-and-supply agreement was agreed with the Democratic Unionist Party . Confidence and supply deals are more frequent in
672-506: A confidence-and-supply agreement with three independent MPs and one Green MP. Following the 2023 New South Wales state election , the Labor opposition reached 45 out of 47 seats required for a majority. Independent MLAs, Alex Greenwich , Greg Piper , and Joe McGirr entered into a confidence-and-supply agreement with the Labor government. Following the 2024 Tasmanian state election ,
784-501: A day. July is the warmest month with an average daytime high of 21 °C. By contrast, the average hours of sunshine are less than two per day in November and only one and a half per day from December to February. In the spring, it gets warmer again with four to six hours of sunshine per day from March to May. February is the driest month of the year. Exceptional weather conditions can bring as much as 50 cm of snow to Copenhagen in
896-418: A government to pay its way and enact its policies. The failure of a supply bill is in effect the same as the failure of a confidence motion. In early modern England, the withholding of funds was one of Parliament 's few ways of controlling the monarch . The Australian Labor Party Gillard government formed a minority government in the hung parliament elected at the 2010 federal election resulting from
1008-404: A government to take office without getting a vote of confidence and stay in office as long as it does not lose a vote of no confidence . One consequence is that, unlike in most other parliamentary systems, most Danish governments in modern times are not assured that their legislative agendas will pass, forcing them to assemble a majority for each individual piece of legislation. The 179 members of
1120-502: A huge increase in the population. In 1840, Copenhagen was inhabited by approximately 120,000 people. By 1901, it had some 400,000 inhabitants. By the beginning of the 20th century, Copenhagen had become a thriving industrial and administrative city. With its new city hall and railway station , its centre was drawn towards the west. New housing developments grew up in Brønshøj and Valby while Frederiksberg became an enclave within
1232-477: A modest fortress on the little island of Slotsholmen in 1167 where Christiansborg Palace stands today. The construction of the fortress was in response to attacks by Wendish pirates who plagued the coastline during the 12th century. Defensive ramparts and moats were completed, and by 1177 St. Clemens Church had been built. Attacks by the Wends continued, and after the original fortress was eventually destroyed by
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#17327720806821344-451: A naval bombardment of Copenhagen from 2 to 5 September. The bombardment, which saw the deployment of Congreve rockets , killed 195 civilians and wounded 768, along with burning approximately 1,000 structures, including the Church of Our Lady . Copenhagen's defenders were unable to respond to the bombardment effectively due to relying on an old defence-line whose limited range could not reach
1456-539: A number of banking and financial institutions have been established. Educational institutions have also gained importance, especially the University of Copenhagen with its 35,000 students. Another important development for the city has been the Copenhagen Metro , the railway system which opened in 2002 with additions until 2007, transporting some 54 million passengers by 2011. On the cultural front,
1568-570: A parliament can propose a motion of confidence or of no confidence in the government or executive. The results of such motions show how much support the government currently has in parliament. Should a motion of confidence fail, or a motion of no confidence pass, the government will usually either resign and allow other politicians to form a new government, or call an election. Most parliamentary democracies require an annual state budget, an appropriation bill , also called supply bill, or occasional financial measures to be passed by parliament in order for
1680-553: A part of the parliamentary support of a new, centre-left government. In the event the Social Liberals did join the new three-party coalition government formed on 3 October. Following the 2015 general election , Thorning-Schmidt was replaced as prime minister by her predecessor Lars Løkke Rasmussen. Until 28 November 2016, he led a government consisting only of Venstre – a very unusual situation in Danish politics. The Speaker
1792-560: A regional centre of power, serving as the heart of the Danish government and military . During the 18th century, Copenhagen suffered from a devastating plague outbreak and urban conflagrations . Major redevelopment efforts included the construction of the prestigious district of Frederiksstaden and the establishment of cultural institutions such as the Royal Theatre and the Royal Academy of Fine Arts . The city also became
1904-480: A result of continued British fears that Denmark would ally with France, another British fleet led by Admiral James Gambier was dispatched to Copenhagen with orders to seize or destroy the Dano-Norwegian navy. The British published a proclamation demanding the surrender of the Dano-Norwegian fleet, and the Danish responded with "what amounted to a declaration of war". Gambier's forces responded by carrying out
2016-505: Is Bellevue Beach . It is 700 metres (2,300 ft) long and has both lifeguards and freshwater showers on the beach. The beaches are supplemented by a system of Harbour Baths along the Copenhagen waterfront. The first and most popular of these is located at Islands Brygge , literally meaning Iceland's Quay, and has won international acclaim for its design. Copenhagen is in the oceanic climate zone ( Köppen : Cfb ). Its weather
2128-1044: Is by far the largest municipality, with the historic city at its core. The seat of Copenhagen's municipal council is the Copenhagen City Hall ( Rådhus ), which is situated on City Hall Square . The second largest municipality is Frederiksberg, an enclave within Copenhagen Municipality. Copenhagen Municipality is divided into ten districts ( bydele ): Indre By , Østerbro , Nørrebro , Vesterbro/Kongens Enghave , Valby , Vanløse , Brønshøj-Husum , Bispebjerg , Amager Øst , and Amager Vest . Neighbourhoods of Copenhagen include Slotsholmen , Frederiksstaden , Islands Brygge , Holmen , Christiania , Carlsberg , Sluseholmen , Sydhavn , Amagerbro , Ørestad , Nordhavnen , Bellahøj , Brønshøj , Ryparken , and Vigerslev . Most of Denmark's top legal courts and institutions are based in Copenhagen. A modern-style court of justice, Hof- og Stadsretten ,
2240-594: Is handled by the Maritime and Commercial Court of Copenhagen . Established in 1862, the Maritime and Commercial Court ( Sø- og Handelsretten ) also hears commercial cases including those relating to trade marks, marketing practices and competition for the whole of Denmark. Denmark's Supreme Court ( Højesteret ), located in Christiansborg Palace on Prins Jørgens Gård in the centre of Copenhagen,
2352-614: Is home to the University of Copenhagen , the Technical University of Denmark , Copenhagen Business School , and the IT University of Copenhagen . The University of Copenhagen, founded in 1479, is the oldest university in Denmark. Copenhagen is home to the football clubs F.C. Copenhagen and Brøndby IF . The annual Copenhagen Marathon was established in 1980. Copenhagen is one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in
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#17327720806822464-487: Is subject to low-pressure systems from the Atlantic which result in unstable conditions throughout the year. Apart from slightly higher rainfall from July to September, precipitation is moderate. While snowfall occurs mainly from late December to early March, there can also be rain, with average temperatures around the freezing point. June is the sunniest month of the year with an average of about eight hours of sunshine
2576-506: Is the presiding officer of the Folketing. The Speaker determines which members may speak, and is responsible for maintaining order during debates. The position was created in 1850, and the inaugural holder of the office was Carl Christoffer Georg Andræ . The current Speaker is Søren Gade of Venstre . The Speaker and four Deputy Speakers are elected by MPs at the opening of parliament after each general election and compose presidium of
2688-583: Is the busiest airport in the Nordic countries . Copenhagen's name ( København in Danish), reflects its origin as a harbour and a place of commerce. The original designation in Old Norse , from which Danish descends, was Kaupmannahǫfn [ˈkɔupˌmɑnːɑˌhɔvn] (cf. modern Icelandic : Kaupmannahöfn [ˈkʰœipˌmanːaˌhœpn̥] , Faroese : Keypmannahavn ), meaning 'merchants' harbour'. By
2800-430: Is the capital and most populous city of Denmark , with a population of 1.4 million in the urban area . The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager , separated from Malmö , Sweden , by the Øresund strait. The Øresund Bridge connects the two cities by rail and road. Originally a Viking fishing village established in the 10th century in the vicinity of what is now Gammel Strand , Copenhagen became
2912-514: Is therefore a difference of 10 hours and 31 minutes in the length of days and nights between the summer and winter solstices. According to Statistics Denmark , the urban area of Copenhagen ( Hovedstadsområdet ) consists of the municipalities of Copenhagen , Frederiksberg , Albertslund , Brøndby , Gentofte , Gladsaxe , Glostrup , Herlev , Hvidovre , Lyngby-Taarbæk , Rødovre , Tårnby and Vallensbæk as well as parts of Ballerup , Rudersdal and Furesø municipalities, along with
3024-423: Is therefore not a direct representation of the country. About one-third of seats have been switched for new members every election, a figure that has stayed more or less constant over previous elections. The largest change in these figures was seen in the election of 1973, where 45 percent of seats saw new members, and the lowest change was in the election of 1988, when 14.8 percent of members were newcomers. Since
3136-523: Is within the powers of the prime minister to ask the monarch to call for an election before the term has elapsed. On a vote of no confidence , the Folketing may force a single minister or the entire government to resign. Members are democratically elected by proportional representation : 135 directly in constituencies using the D'Hondt method , alongside 40 leveling seats . The Danish political system has traditionally generated coalitions. Most post-war governments have been minority coalitions ruling with
3248-562: The 2014 election, National re-entered confidence-and-supply agreements with United Future, the ACT Party, and the Māori Party. In 2017, despite National winning more votes than Labour in the election, New Zealand First chose to enter coalition with Labour to help them change the government, with support on confidence and supply from the left-wing Green Party . Between 1977 and 1978, Jim Callaghan's Labour Party stayed in power thanks to
3360-604: The 2017 British Columbia provincial election , the Green Party of British Columbia agreed to a confidence-and-supply agreement in support of the British Columbia New Democratic Party . The incumbent British Columbia Liberal Party , which held a plurality of seats, briefly tried to form a government, but was immediately defeated in a confidence vote by the NDP and Greens. The agreement, which
3472-802: The Andreotti III Cabinet was formed in 1976 with a confidence and supply agreement between the Christian Democrats and the Italian Communist Party , referred to as "the historic compromise" ( Italian : il compromesso storico ), in which the Communist Party agreed not to vote against the government during confidence votes. The Dini Cabinet , formed in 1995, and the Monti Cabinet , formed in 2011, were technocratic governments which relied on
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3584-605: The Bloc Québécois having signed a confidence agreement to support the proposed coalition. However, the proposed coalition and confidence agreement fell apart in January 2009, as a result of an ensuing parliamentary dispute . In 2022, a few months into the 44th Canadian Parliament , the NDP agreed to a confidence-and-supply agreement with the governing Liberal Party, to continue the Liberal minority government . The deal
3696-535: The COVID-19 pandemic . This is the first such agreement signed to ensure bipartisan cooperation . In New Zealand, confidence and supply arrangements are common due to the MMP system used in the country. The parties providing confidence and supply have a more prominent role than in other countries, with MPs from the support parties often being appointed to ministerial portfolios outside of Cabinet. New Zealand codified
3808-553: The Church of Our Lady was constructed on higher ground to the northeast of the town, which began to develop around it. As the town became more prominent, it was repeatedly attacked by the Hanseatic League . In 1368, it was successfully invaded during the Second Danish-Hanseatic War . As the fishing industry thrived in Copenhagen, particularly in the trade of herring , the city began expanding to
3920-494: The Copenhagen Opera House , a gift to the city from the shipping magnate Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller on behalf of the A.P. Møller foundation, was completed in 2004. In December 2009 Copenhagen gained international prominence when it hosted the worldwide climate meeting COP15 . On 3 July 2022, three people were killed in a shooting at Field's mall in Copenhagen. Police chief inspector Søren Thomassen announced
4032-582: The Dáil or Seanad . The deal lasted until the 32nd Dáil was dissolved on 14 January 2020 for a general election to be held in February 2020. In Italy, the equivalent of confidence and supply is called "external support" ( Italian : appoggio esterno ). Starting from the 1950s through the 1970s there were various examples of Christian Democratic cabinets being able to govern thanks to confidence and supply agreements with other minor parties. Most famously,
4144-595: The Faroe Islands and Greenland . Established in 1849, the Folketing was the lower house of the bicameral parliament called the Rigsdag until 1953; the upper house was the Landsting . It meets in Christiansborg Palace , on the islet of Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen . The Folketing passes all laws, approves the cabinet , and supervises the work of the government. It is also responsible for adopting
4256-591: The Gunboat War , which lasted until the 1814 Treaty of Kiel . Despite the turmoil the Napoleonic Wars brought to the city, Copenhagen soon experienced a period of intense cultural creativity known as the Danish Golden Age . Painting prospered under C.W. Eckersberg and his students while C.F. Hansen and Gottlieb Bindesbøll brought a Neoclassical look to the city's architecture. In
4368-531: The India–United States Civil Nuclear Agreement . After the 2016 general election , a minority government was formed by Fine Gael and some independents, with confidence and supply ( Irish : muinín agus soláthar ) support from Fianna Fáil in return for a published set of policy commitments from the government. Fianna Fáil abstained on confidence and supply votes, but reserved the right to vote for or against any bill proposed in
4480-630: The Moltke Mansion , Yellow Palace and the Vestindisk Pakhus were funded with profits made from the Danish slave trade. In the second half of the 18th century, Copenhagen benefited from Denmark's neutrality during the wars between Europe's main powers, allowing it to play an important role in trade between the states around the Baltic Sea. After Christiansborg was destroyed by fire in 1794 and another fire caused serious damage to
4592-780: The Nazi authorities sought to arrive at an understanding with the Danish government. The 1943 Danish parliamentary election was also allowed to take place, with only the Communist Party excluded. But in August 1943, after the government's collaboration with the occupation forces collapsed, several ships were sunk in Copenhagen Harbor by the Royal Danish Navy to prevent their use by the Germans. Around that time
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4704-528: The Reformation in Denmark in the late 1530s. In disputes prior to the Reformation of 1536, the city which had been faithful to Christian II , who was Catholic, was successfully besieged in 1523 by the forces of Frederik I , who supported Lutheranism . Copenhagen's defences were reinforced with a series of towers along the city wall. After an extended siege from July 1535 to July 1536, during which
4816-665: The Royal Theatre and the Royal Academy of Fine Arts . During the 18th century, the Danish slave trade , which began during the 17th century, underwent a rapid expansion. Between 1660 and 1806, Danish merchants, many of them based out of Copenhagen, transported approximately 120,000 enslaved Africans to the Danish West Indies . These merchants were mostly affiliated with the slave-trading Danish West India Company and Danish Asiatic Company , both of which were headquartered in Copenhagen. Many buildings in Copenhagen, such as
4928-483: The Westminster system , confidence and supply is an arrangement under which a minority government (one which does not control a majority in the legislature) receives the support of one or more parties or independent MPs on confidence votes and the state budget ("supply"). On issues other than those outlined in the confidence and supply agreement, non-government partners to the agreement are not bound to support
5040-648: The Yukon Liberal Party and the Yukon Party winning the same number of seats, the third place Yukon New Democratic Party agreed to provide confidence and supply to a Liberal minority government. Third Front national governments were formed in 1989 and 1996 with outside support of one of the two major parties, BJP or Congress . The CPI-M gave outside support to the Congress Party from 2004 to 2008, but later withdrew support after
5152-606: The incorporation of women into the Folketing in 1915, a general rise in the seats held by women has been observed. In the most recent election in 2022, 78 of 179 seats were held by women. Between 1918 and 1920 the Folketing had 140 seats, this was then increased to 149. The number was increased to 179 in 1953, which it remains to this day. [REDACTED] seats National conservatism , Anti-immigration 55°40′34″N 12°34′47″E / 55.67611°N 12.57972°E / 55.67611; 12.57972 Confidence and supply In parliamentary democracies based on
5264-605: The national conservative Danish People's Party and often gained the necessary 90th seat for majority in the Folketing through negotiations with either the sole MP from the Christian Democrats , Ørum-Jørgensen or another MP outside parties, Christmas Møller, both elected in 2007 as conservative MPs and having defected since then. Since the 2007 elections , the Liberal Alliance (previously Ny Alliance) gained momentum in opinion polls, and since early 2010
5376-789: The Øresund to the east, the strait of water that separates Denmark from Sweden, and which connects the North Sea with the Baltic Sea . The Swedish city of Malmö and the town of Landskrona lie on the Swedish side of the sound directly across from Copenhagen. By road, Copenhagen is 42 kilometres (26 mi) northwest of Malmö , Sweden, 85 kilometres (53 mi) northeast of Næstved , 164 kilometres (102 mi) northeast of Odense , 295 kilometres (183 mi) east of Esbjerg and 188 kilometres (117 mi) southeast of Aarhus by sea and road via Sjællands Odde . The city centre lies in
5488-570: The 11th century and more permanently in the 13th century. The first habitations were probably centred on Gammel Strand (literally 'old shore') in the 11th century or even earlier. The earliest written mention of the town was in the 12th century when Saxo Grammaticus in Gesta Danorum referred to it as Portus Mercatorum , meaning 'Merchants' Harbour' or, in the Danish of the time, Købmannahavn . Traditionally, Copenhagen's founding has been dated to Bishop Absalon 's construction of
5600-429: The 1998 election, leaving clear control to the opposition, a so-called "Twisted Diet" . The Hashimoto Cabinet resigned to give way for a new cabinet led by prime minister Keizō Ōbuchi which entered formal negotiations with other parties to form a coalition government by January 1999 (First Reshuffled Obuchi Cabinet). There is another implicit form of cooperation where (usually very small) parties which are not part of
5712-480: The 2011 election. But there has been considerable debate about the future politics of this coalition, mainly because the Social Liberal Party demands a more liberal economic agenda. Also on immigration issues there are political differences between the three coalition parties. This has led some observers to believe that the Social Liberal Party will not join a government coalition but instead opt to be
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#17327720806825824-464: The British ships and their longer-range artillery. A British landing force of 30,000 men entered and occupied Copenhagen; during the battle, the British suffered almost 200 casualties, while the Danish suffered 3,000. Virtually the entire Dano-Norwegian fleet was surrendered to the British, who either burnt them or brought them back to Britain. Denmark declared war on Britain, leading to the outbreak of
5936-661: The Conservative Party to attempt to form a government and attempt to gain the confidence of the house". People's Alliance leader Kris Austin said he would work with the new government "in the areas we agree on," and reiterated his promise to support the Progressive Conservatives on confidence votes for a period of 18 months. Green Party leader David Coon said he would start working with the Tories in an attempt to ensure his party's issues were on
6048-651: The Conservative group in the Folketing caused Lene Espersen to resign as political leader of the party and focus on her role as Minister of Foreign Affairs . A leadership election between Brian Mikkelsen , the Minister of Economic and Business Affairs and Lars Barfoed , the Justice Minister , was widely expected, but on 14 January the Conservative group in the Folketing unanimously elected Barfoed as their new political leader. The Social Democrats under
6160-429: The English term for the city was adapted from its Low German name, Kopenhagen . Copenhagen's Swedish name is Köpenhamn , a direct translation of the mutually intelligible Danish name. The city's Latin name, Hafnia , is the namesake of the element hafnium . Although the earliest historical records of Copenhagen are from the end of the 12th century, recent archaeological finds in connection with work on
6272-486: The Folketing. During the next decades, law-making mainly took place in the Folketing, and the Landsting came to be regarded as a superfluous rubber stamp. In 1953 a revised constitution was adopted by a referendum . Among the changes was the elimination of the Landsting and the introduction of a unicameral parliament, known only as the Folketing. Christiansborg Palace (also known by its nickname Borgen , Danish for
6384-710: The Nazis started to arrest Jews , although most managed to escape to Sweden . In 1945 Ole Lippman , leader of the Danish section of the Special Operations Executive , invited the British Royal Air Force to assist their operations by attacking Nazi headquarters in Copenhagen. Accordingly, air vice-marshal Sir Basil Embry drew up plans for a spectacular precision attack on the Sicherheitsdienst and Gestapo building,
6496-562: The area originally defined by the old ramparts , which are still referred to as the Fortification Ring ( Fæstningsringen ) and kept as a partial green band around it. Then come the late-19th- and early-20th-century residential neighbourhoods of Østerbro , Nørrebro , Vesterbro and Amagerbro . The outlying areas of Kongens Enghave , Valby , Vigerslev , Vanløse , Brønshøj , Utterslev and Sundby followed from 1920 to 1960. They consist mainly of residential housing and apartments often enhanced with parks and greenery. The central area of
6608-416: The arrest of a 22-year-old man and said that the police cannot rule out an act of terrorism. Copenhagen is part of the Øresund Region , which consists of Zealand , Lolland-Falster and Bornholm in Denmark and Scania in Sweden. It is located on the eastern shore of the island of Zealand, partly on the island of Amager and on a number of natural and artificial islets between the two. Copenhagen faces
6720-399: The body. The members of parliament are allocated into thirty standing parliamentary committees . The standing committees have a portfolio that covers that of one or more government ministers . Although Denmark is a representative democracy , a bias is seen in the demographics of the Folketing as opposed to the demographics of Denmark , with middle-aged men over-represented, the Folketing
6832-451: The cabinet join one of the ruling parties in joint parliamentary groups in one or both houses of the National Diet and vote with the government. A recent example were the joint LDP groups with the Party for Japanese Kokoro and New Party Daichi during the 2nd Reshuffled Third Abe Cabinet. A confidence and supply agreement was signed on 13 September 2021 between Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan to strengthen political stability amid
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#17327720806826944-430: The capital of Denmark in the early 15th century. During the 16th century, the city served as the de facto capital of the Kalmar Union and the seat of the Union's monarchy, which governed most of the modern-day Nordic region as part of a Danish confederation with Sweden and Norway . The city flourished as the cultural and economic centre of Scandinavia during the Renaissance . By the 17th century, it had become
7056-405: The capital of Denmark when Eric of Pomerania moved his seat to Copenhagen Castle. The University of Copenhagen was inaugurated on 1 June 1479 by King Christian I , following approval from Pope Sixtus IV . This makes it the oldest university in Denmark and one of the oldest in Europe . Originally controlled by the Catholic Church , the university's role in society was forced to change during
7168-537: The castle ) has been the domicile of parliament since 1849. The palace is in the heart of Copenhagen . Gaining representation in parliament normally requires only 2% of the national vote. With such a low election threshold a large number of parties are represented in the chamber, making it all but impossible for one party to win the 90 seats necessary for a majority. No single party has achieved this since 1901. All Danish governments since then have been coalitions or one-party minority governments . The constitution allows
7280-399: The centre of the Danish slave trade during this period. In 1807, the city was bombarded by a British fleet during the Napoleonic Wars , before the Danish Golden Age brought a Neoclassical look to Copenhagen's architecture. After World War II , the Finger Plan fostered the development of housing and businesses along the five urban railway routes emanating from the city centre. Since
7392-435: The cities of Ishøj and Greve Strand . They are located in the Capital Region ( Region Hovedstaden ). Municipalities are responsible for a wide variety of public services , which include land-use planning, environmental planning, public housing, management and maintenance of local roads, and social security. Municipal administration is also conducted by a mayor , a council , and an executive. Copenhagen Municipality
7504-468: The city consists of relatively low-lying flat ground formed by moraines from the last ice age while the hilly areas to the north and west frequently rise to 50 m (160 ft) above sea level. The slopes of Valby and Brønshøj reach heights of over 30 m (98 ft), divided by valleys running from the northeast to the southwest. Close to the centre are the Copenhagen lakes of Sortedams Sø, Peblinge Sø and Sankt Jørgens Sø. Copenhagen rests on
7616-463: The city in 1795, work began on the classical Copenhagen landmark of Højbro Plads while Nytorv and Gammel Torv were converged. As a result of British fears that Denmark would ally with France , a Royal Navy fleet under the command of Admiral Sir Hyde Parker was dispatched to neutralize the Royal Dano-Norwegian Navy . On 2 April 1801, Parker's fleet encountered the Dano-Norwegian navy anchored near Copenhagen. Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson led
7728-455: The city of Copenhagen. The northern part of Amager and Valby were also incorporated into the City of Copenhagen in 1901–02. As a result of Denmark's neutrality in the First World War , Copenhagen prospered from trade with both Britain and Germany while the city's defences were kept fully manned by some 40,000 soldiers for the duration of the war. In the 1920s there were serious shortages of goods and housing. Plans were drawn up to demolish
7840-468: The city supported Christian II's alliance with Malmö and Lübeck , it was finally forced to capitulate to Christian III . During the second half of the century, the city prospered from increased trade across the Baltic supported by Dutch shipping. Christoffer Valkendorff , a high-ranking statesman, defended the city's interests and contributed to its development. The Netherlands had also become primarily Protestant, as were northern German states. During
7952-429: The city's metropolitan rail system revealed the remains of a large merchant's mansion near today's Kongens Nytorv from c. 1020 . Excavations in Pilestræde have also led to the discovery of a well from the late 12th century. The remains of an ancient church, with graves dating to the 11th century, have been unearthed near where Strøget meets Rådhuspladsen . These finds indicate that Copenhagen's origins as
8064-632: The completion of the Øresund Bridge , Copenhagen has increasingly integrated with the Swedish province of Scania and its largest city, Malmö, forming the Øresund Region . With several bridges connecting the various districts, the cityscape is characterised by parks, promenades, and waterfronts. Copenhagen's landmarks such as Tivoli Gardens , The Little Mermaid statue, the Amalienborg and Christiansborg palaces, Rosenborg Castle , Frederik's Church , Børsen and many museums, restaurants and nightclubs are significant tourist attractions. Copenhagen
8176-569: The devolved legislatures of Scotland and Wales due to the use of proportional representation . The Scottish National Party and Scottish Green Party had a confidence and supply deal in the Scottish Parliament . The Welsh Labour Party and Plaid Cymru had a similar co-operation deal in the Welsh Assembly until October 2017. Copenhagen Copenhagen ( Danish : København [kʰøpm̩ˈhɑwˀn] )
8288-592: The district of Christianshavn with canals and ramparts. It was initially intended to be a fortified trading centre but ultimately became part of Copenhagen. Christian IV also sponsored an array of ambitious building projects including Rosenborg Slot and the Rundetårn . In 1658–1659, the city withstood a siege by the Swedes under Charles X and successfully repelled a major assault . By 1661, Copenhagen had asserted its position as capital of Denmark and Norway. All
8400-404: The early 1850s, the ramparts of the city were opened to allow new housing to be built around The Lakes ( Danish : Søerne ) that bordered the old defences to the west. By the 1880s, the districts of Nørrebro and Vesterbro developed to accommodate those who came from the provinces to participate in the city's industrialization. This dramatic increase of space was long overdue, as not only were
8512-407: The educated classes. From 1866 to 1915 the right to vote for the Landsting was restricted to the wealthiest, and some of its members were appointed by the king; so it predominantly represented the landed gentry and other conservatives. From 1915 both men and women had the right of vote for both houses, and the Landsting was elected by common vote, although indirectly and with a higher age limit than for
8624-403: The folketing are directly elected to four-year terms, subject to calls for early elections. All Danish citizens 18 years or older may vote in legislative elections, which are conducted by secret ballot. Folketing seats are allocated among the various parties using the D'Hondt method of party list proportional representation . A party or electoral alliance must pass the election threshold of 2% of
8736-552: The former offices of the Shell Oil Company . Political prisoners were kept in the attic to prevent an air raid, so the RAF had to bomb the lower levels of the building. The attack, known as " Operation Carthage ", came on 22 March 1945, in three small waves. In the first wave, all six planes (carrying one bomb each) hit their target, but one of the aircraft crashed near Frederiksberg Girls School. Because of this crash, four of
8848-544: The governing coalition have not been able to gather a majority in the polls without the support of the Alliance. The continuing rise in the polls is to an extent the result of the internal crisis in the Conservative People's Party over the leadership of Lene Espersen and the continuing debate over a lack of "true" liberal/conservative ideology in government policy. On 13 January 2011 the continuing turmoil in
8960-519: The governing coalition with the LDP until the election: the JSP and Shintō Sakigake (NPH/NPS/Sakigake). By 1997, the LDP had gained a House of Representatives majority of its own through accessions (see New Frontier Party ) and was hoping to regain full parliamentary control in the 1998 House of Councillors election. Instead, the cooperation agreement was ultimately terminated while the government lost seats in
9072-408: The government on any given piece of legislation. A coalition government is a more formal arrangement than a confidence-and-supply agreement, in that members from junior parties (i.e., parties other than the largest) gain positions in the cabinet and ministerial roles , and are generally expected to hold the government whip on passing legislation. In most parliamentary democracies, members of
9184-661: The government's agenda. Twenty-two days after the 1985 Ontario provincial election , the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario government resigned after a vote of no confidence , and the Ontario Liberal Party formed a government with the support of the Ontario New Democratic Party . The agreement between the two parties was referred to as "The Accord". After the 2021 territorial election resulted in
9296-407: The government. Subsequently, Premier Brian Gallant indicated his intention to resign the premiership and recommend to the lieutenant governor that PC leader Blaine Higgs be given the mandate to form a minority government: "I will go see the lieutenant-governor at her earliest convenience to inform her that I will be resigning as premier, and I will humbly suggest to her honour to allow the leader of
9408-529: The incumbent Liberal government reached 14 out of 18 seats required for a majority. The Jacqui Lambie Network , along with Independent MHAs, David O'Byrne and Kristie Johnston entered into a confidence-and-supply agreement with the Liberal government. In November 2008, the Liberal Party and the New Democratic Party (NDP) reached an agreement to form a minority coalition government, with
9520-534: The initiative of the young architect Jan Gehl , pedestrian streets and cycle tracks were created in the city centre. Activity in the port of Copenhagen declined with the closure of the Holmen Naval Base. Copenhagen Airport underwent considerable expansion, becoming a hub for the Nordic countries . In the 1990s, large-scale housing developments were realised in the harbour area and in the west of Amager . The national library's Black Diamond building on
9632-642: The leadership of Helle Thorning-Schmidt have enjoyed continuing majorities in opinion polls since late 2009 and hope to form a centre-left government coalition consisting of the Socialist People's Party and the Social Liberal Party with parliamentary support from the small Red-Green Alliance . Both Margrethe Vestager (Social Liberal Party) and Villy Søvndal (Socialist People's Party) pledged their support to Thorning-Schmidt before
9744-507: The main attack. The Dano-Norwegian fleet put up heavy resistance, and the battle is often considered to be Nelson's hardest-fought battle, surpassing even the heavy fighting at Trafalgar . It was during this battle that Lord Nelson was said to have "put the telescope to the blind eye" in order not to see Admiral Parker's signal to cease fire . The British ultimately won the battle, sinking or capturing most of Dano-Norwegian fleet, which led Denmark to agree not to ally with France. In 1807, as
9856-556: The major institutions were located there, as was the fleet and most of the army. The defences were further enhanced with the completion of the Citadel in 1664 and the extension of Christianshavns Vold with its bastions in 1692, leading to the creation of a new base for the fleet at Nyholm . Copenhagen lost around 22,000 of its population of 65,000 to the plague in 1711. The city was also struck by two major fires that destroyed much of its infrastructure. The Copenhagen Fire of 1728
9968-488: The marauders, islanders replaced it with Copenhagen Castle . In 1186, a letter from Pope Urban III states that the castle of Hafn (Copenhagen) and its surrounding lands, including the town of Hafn, were given to Absalon , Bishop of Roskilde (1158–1191) and Archbishop of Lund (1177–1201), by King Valdemar I . Upon Absalon's death, the property was to come into the ownership of the Bishopric of Roskilde . Around 1200,
10080-479: The north of Slotsholmen. In 1254, it received a charter as a city under Bishop Jakob Erlandsen who garnered support from the local fishing merchants against the king by granting them special privileges. In the mid 1330s, the first land assessment of the city was published. With the establishment of the Kalmar Union (1397–1523) between Denmark , Norway and Sweden, by about 1416 Copenhagen had emerged as
10192-408: The northern part of Denmark where the land is rising because of post-glacial rebound . Amager Strandpark , which opened in 2005, is a 2 km (1 mi) long artificial island , with a total of 4.6 km (2.9 mi) of beaches. It is located just 15 minutes by bicycle or a few minutes by metro from the city centre. In Klampenborg , about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) from downtown Copenhagen,
10304-516: The old part of Christianshavn and to get rid of the worst of the city's slum areas. However, it was not until the 1930s that substantial housing developments ensued, with the demolition of one side of Christianhavn's Torvegade to build five large blocks of flats. In Denmark during World War II , Copenhagen was occupied by German troops along with the rest of the country from 9 April 1940 until 4 May 1945. German leader Adolf Hitler hoped that Denmark would be "a model protectorate " and initially
10416-454: The old ramparts out of date as a defence system but bad sanitation in the old city had to be overcome. From 1886, the west rampart ( Vestvolden ) was flattened, allowing major extensions to the harbour leading to the establishment of the Freeport of Copenhagen 1892–94. Electricity came in 1892 with electric trams in 1897. The spread of housing to areas outside the old ramparts brought about
10528-430: The overall vote to be allocated a seat. The Danish political system is characterised by a fusion of powers , with the government being drawn from the ranks of the Folketing. Denmark is governed by a cabinet and a prime minister who do not have a majority in the Folketing against them (negative parliamentarism). Since no single party in Denmark has had an absolute majority in the Folketing since 1903, in order to pass laws,
10640-582: The planes in the two following waves assumed the school was the military target and aimed their bombs at the school, leading to the death of 123 civilians (of which 87 were schoolchildren). However, 18 of the 26 political prisoners in the Shell Building managed to escape while the Gestapo archives were completely destroyed. On 8 May 1945 Copenhagen was officially liberated by British troops commanded by Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery who supervised
10752-518: The prime minister must form alliances with parties outside his or her own party. This either results in a coalition cabinet of multiple parties, or a single-party minority government. During his first term in 2009 to 2011, Lars Løkke Rasmussen led a centre-right minority government consisting of the Liberal Party ( Venstre ) and the Conservative People's Party . This coalition government worked with regular parliamentary support from
10864-655: The procedures it used to form these Governments in its Cabinet Manual . John Key 's National Party administration formed a minority government in 2008 thanks to a confidence-and-supply agreement with the ACT , United Future and the Māori Party . A similar arrangement in 2005 had led to Helen Clark 's Labour Party forming a coalition government with the Progressive Party , with support on confidence and supply from New Zealand First and United Future . After
10976-540: The reign of Christian IV between 1588 and 1648, Copenhagen had dramatic growth as a city. On his initiative at the beginning of the 17th century, two important buildings were completed on Slotsholmen : the Tøjhus Arsenal and Børsen , the stock exchange. To foster international trade, the East India Company was founded in 1616. To the east of the city, inspired by Dutch planning, the king developed
11088-456: The royal residence of Christiansborg Palace , which was completed in 1745. In 1749, development of the prestigious district of Frederiksstaden was initiated. Designed by Nicolai Eigtved in the Rococo style, its centre contained the mansions which now form Amalienborg Palace. Major extensions to the naval base of Holmen were undertaken while the city's cultural importance was enhanced with
11200-518: The state's budgets and approving the state's accounts. As set out in the Constitution of Denmark , the Folketing shares power with the reigning monarch . But in practice, the monarch's role is limited to signing laws passed by the legislature; this must be done within 30 days of adoption. The Folketing consists of 179 members ; including two from Greenland and two from the Faroe Islands . General elections must be held every four years, but it
11312-601: The support of non-government parties. The first sitting of the house is usually attended by the king . From 1849 to 1953 the Folketing was one of the two houses in the bicameral parliament known as the Rigsdag ; the other house was known as Landstinget . The difference between the houses was its size, voter representation, and electoral system. The Folketing was elected by common vote among men and consisted mainly of independent farmers, traders, and merchants as well as
11424-581: The support of the main parties in Parliament during confidence votes. In Japan , the equivalent of a confidence and supply arrangement is called "extra-cabinet cooperation" ( 閣外協力 , kakugai kyōryoku ) . The latest such agreement was made after the 1996 House of Representatives election between the Second Hashimoto Cabinet , an LDP single-party government somewhat short of majorities in both houses, and two parties which had formed
11536-538: The surrender of 30,000 Germans situated around the capital. Shortly after the end of the war, an innovative urban development project known as the Finger Plan was introduced in 1947, encouraging the creation of new housing and businesses interspersed with large green areas along five "fingers" stretching out from the city centre along the S-train routes. With the expansion of the welfare state and women entering
11648-448: The time Old Danish was spoken, the capital was called Køpmannæhafn , with the current name deriving from centuries of subsequent regular sound change . The English cognates of the original name would be " chapman 's haven ". The English chapman , German Kaufmann , Dutch koopman , Swedish köpman , Danish købmand , and Icelandic kaupmaður share a derivation from Latin caupo , meaning 'tradesman'. However,
11760-583: The turn of the 21st century, Copenhagen has seen strong urban and cultural development, facilitated by investment in its institutions and infrastructure. The city is the cultural , economic and governmental centre of Denmark; it is one of the major financial centres of Northern Europe with the Copenhagen Stock Exchange . Copenhagen's economy has developed rapidly in the service sector , especially through initiatives in information technology , pharmaceuticals and clean technology . Since
11872-488: The waterfront was completed in 1999. Since the summer of 2000, Copenhagen and the Swedish city of Malmö have been connected by the Øresund Bridge , which carries rail and road traffic. As a result, Copenhagen has become the centre of a larger metropolitan area spanning both nations. The bridge has brought about considerable changes in the public transport system and has led to the extensive redevelopment of Amager . The city's service and trade sectors have developed while
11984-527: The work force, schools, nurseries, sports facilities and hospitals were established across the city. As a result of student unrest in the late 1960s, the former Bådsmandsstræde Barracks in Christianshavn was occupied, leading to the establishment of Freetown Christiania in September 1971. Motor traffic in the city grew significantly and in 1972 the trams were replaced by buses. From the 1960s, on
12096-597: The world. Movia is the public mass transit company serving all of eastern Denmark, except Bornholm . The Copenhagen Metro , launched in 2002, serves central Copenhagen. Additionally, the Copenhagen S-train , the Lokaltog ( private railway ), and the Coast Line network serve and connect central Copenhagen to outlying boroughs. Serving roughly 2.5 million passengers a month, Copenhagen Airport , Kastrup,
12208-421: Was intended to keep the minority Liberal government in power until 2025, with the NDP agreeing to support the government on confidence motions and budget votes. In exchange, the Liberal government pledged to advance work on key NDP policy priorities on dental care, pharmaceutical drugs, and affordable childcare. NDP leader Jagmeet Singh announced the early termination of the agreement on 4 September 2024. After
12320-573: Was intended to remain in effect until the next fixed election in October 2021, was ended early when premier John Horgan requested the lieutenant governor call a snap election in 2020 . On 2 November 2018 (less than two months after the 2018 New Brunswick general election ) the legislative assembly voted 25-23 for a motion, introduced by the Progressive Conservatives , to amend the throne speech to declare no confidence in
12432-489: Was introduced in Denmark, specifically for Copenhagen, by Johann Friedrich Struensee in 1771. Now known as the City Court of Copenhagen ( Københavns Byret ), it is the largest of the 24 city courts in Denmark with jurisdiction over the municipalities of Copenhagen, Dragør and Tårnby . With its 42 judges, it has a Probate Division, an Enforcement Division and a Registration and Notorial Acts Division while bankruptcy
12544-487: Was the largest in the history of Copenhagen. It began on the evening of 20 October, and continued to burn until the morning of 23 October, destroying approximately 28% of the city, leaving some 20% of the population homeless. No less than 47% of the medieval section of the city was completely lost. Along with the 1795 fire , it is the main reason that few traces of the old town can be found in the modern city. A substantial amount of rebuilding followed. In 1733, work began on
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