The economic challenges of the Unity List (Enhedslisten) are forcing the party to hold their annual general meeting digitally this year, marking a new era for the party where physical meetings will now only take place every other year. This decision was made after a deficit of nearly 4.7 million Danish kroner in 2022, which was 1.5 million kroner more than expected. Pelle Dragsted, the political spokesperson for the Unity List, expressed his disappointment with the situation. “I would have definitely wanted an annual general meeting where I could meet in a large hall with all the lovely members of the Unity List,” he said, adding that he feels like a “political circus horse” who must now settle for less sawdust.
The annual general meeting, now held via Microsoft Teams, is a result of a resolution passed at the 2023 meeting, where it was decided to switch to digital meetings every other year to save costs. This change is expected to save the party around 800,000 Danish kroner in 2024. Although the press is still invited to cover the annual general meetings digitally, Karina Kosiara-Pedersen, an associate professor in political science at the University of Copenhagen, points out that something is lost with this new approach. “It is a challenge because there is not the same social interaction and opportunity for small talk and overall being together with like-minded people, and that is an important driver for political engagement,” she explains.
Kosiara-Pedersen highlights that while the digitalization of political parties’ organizations may be economically necessary, it is also a threat to political community and engagement. “If it becomes permanent, there is a part of the community that will struggle to survive,” she says. The Unity List’s decision to go digital reflects the broader challenges that many political parties face in a time when the economy is tightening and when member democracy is becoming an increasingly expensive affair.