Enhedslisten (The Unity List) has been forced to hold their annual meeting digitally this year due to financial difficulties. This is the first time since the pandemic that the party will not gather its members physically. Economic challenges have compelled the party to make this decision, as it experienced a deficit of almost 4.7 million Danish kroner in 2022. This has resulted in a new strategy where the party plans to hold physical meetings only every other year to save costs. According to the party, this change alone could save them up to 800,000 Danish kroner in 2024.
Pelle Dragsted, the political spokesperson for Enhedslisten, expresses his disappointment with the situation. “I definitely would have liked an annual meeting where I could meet in a large hall with all the lovely members of Enhedslisten,” he says, adding that it is a consequence of both a disappointing election result and poor financial management.
The debate and annual meeting will take place this year over Microsoft Teams, which is a significant departure from previous years where members and the press could meet and interact face to face. This absence of physical interaction may have a negative impact on political engagement and sense of community, notes Karina Kosiara-Pedersen, a lecturer in political science at the University of Copenhagen. She emphasizes that social interaction is a central part of political activism and engagement.
Although Enhedslisten formally complies with the statutes with this change, there are concerns about what it will mean for the party culture and membership engagement in the long run. “If it becomes a regular practice, it could challenge the survival of the community that the party has built,” says Kosiara-Pedersen.
Enhedslisten’s decision to go digital with their annual meeting is a clear indication of the economic and organizational challenges that smaller political parties may face, raising questions about the future of political engagement in an increasingly digitalized world.