Theresa Scavenius, a former member of the political party Alternativet and now an independent member of the Danish Parliament (Folketinget), has announced the establishment of a new political party called the Green Democrats (Grønne Demokrater). According to Scavenius, the party is a response to what she describes as democratic decline and increasing mistrust in political actors.
The Green Democrats aim to position themselves as a genuine opposition within the Folketinget, advocating for strong parliamentary oversight of the government. Scavenius criticizes many political parties for neglecting their responsibilities within the democratic process, often opting for informal agreements within ministries instead. She emphasizes that the new party will combat hasty legislation and work towards making the legislative process more transparent and thorough.
The party intends to empower members of the Folketinget to vote based on their own convictions rather than strictly adhering to party lines. Supported by a report from Justitia (a Danish legal think tank), Scavenius points out that the increasing quantity of emergency legislation and tight deadlines for processing bills diminish the quality of law-making. She advocates for a proactive approach to politics, which she terms “fire prevention politics,” aimed at preventing crises rather than responding to them reactively once they arise.
This new political movement, the Green Democrats, is envisioned as a broad initiative focused not only on climate and environmental policies but also on reforming the democratic process itself. The goal is to create better and more sustainable political solutions. The first step for this new party is to gather enough voter declarations to qualify for participation in future elections.
Previously, Scavenius attempted to establish a political foothold with the party Momentum, which failed to gain sufficient support in the 2021 municipal elections and was subsequently absorbed into Alternativet. She expresses optimism regarding the Green Democrats, hoping that her current platform as a member of the Folketinget will enhance the party’s chances of success.