{"id":43595,"date":"2025-11-20T08:32:27","date_gmt":"2025-11-20T07:32:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/arbejdermuseet.dk\/?page_id=43595"},"modified":"2026-01-29T08:20:17","modified_gmt":"2026-01-29T07:20:17","slug":"1915-constitution-no-voting-rights-for-foreigners","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/arbejdermuseet.dk\/en\/library-archive\/democracy-and-constitution\/1915-constitution-no-voting-rights-for-foreigners\/","title":{"rendered":"1915 Constitution: no voting rights for foreigners"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

with its significant expansion of universal and equal suffrage, the 1915 Constitution was a victory for the democratic development of our society.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Hans Uwe Petersen<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The policy of civil peace that followed the outbreak of World War I in August 1914 helped pave the way for all parties to support the constitutional amendments. There was broad consensus that women and also servants should have the right to vote, while differences of opinion were more concerned with the conservative role of the Landsting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the Constitution of 1915 did not give foreigners the right to vote. \u00a7 Section 30 read as follows: “Every man and woman who is a citizen, has reached the age of 25 and has a permanent residence in the country has the right to vote in the Folketing…” (unless he or she: a) has been found guilty of a dishonorable act in the public opinion without having received reparation, b) enjoys or has enjoyed the support of the Poor Law, which has not been either remitted or repaid, c) is unable to dispose of his or her estate due to bankruptcy or incapacitation)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"F20120223006\"
The women’s procession on June 5, 1915 arriving at Amalienborg<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

But the Constitution of 1915 did not give foreigners the right to vote. \u00a7 Section 30 had the following wording: “Every man and woman who is a citizen, has reached the age of 25 and has a permanent residence in the country has the right to vote in the Folketing…” (unless he or she: a) has been found guilty by judgment of an act that is dishonorable in the public opinion without having received redress, b) receives or has received support from the Poor Law, which has not been either remitted or repaid, c) is unable to dispose of his or her estate due to bankruptcy or incapacitation)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the political negotiations from the presentation of the constitutional proposal in 1912 until the adoption of the law on June 5, 1915, the issue of foreigners is simply not present. And in the period’s recurring treatment of the Citizenship Act, i.e. the granting of citizenship through naturalization, there are no references to the ongoing negotiations on the wording of the right to vote in the Constitution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In connection with the discussion of the Citizenship Act in 1913, a case of a worker who had come from Sweden to Denmark was brought up. He had married a Danish woman, they had children and he had a job and permanent residence. Nevertheless, his application for Danish citizenship – even though his application was recommended by the authorities in the City of Copenhagen – had been rejected several times. The reason for this was that a number of years earlier, the man had once received a small amount in public benefits. Therefore, the authorities felt that it would take a few more years before the man was worthy of being granted Danish citizenship. at the time, the issue of foreigners and the right to vote and participate in ordinary political life was apparently not relevant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But who were the foreigners back then? There is no information for 1915, but there is for 1911.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1911, foreigners made up 84,879 people or 3.1% of the total population. The vast majority of foreigners came from Sweden (39%) and Schleswig, Holstein and the rest of Germany (41%), i.e. a total of 80% of all foreigners. With regard to the granting of citizenship, the situation in 1911 was similar. Foreigners of Swedish and German ancestry accounted for 91% of the naturalization rights granted, with a significant preponderance of Swedes (64% – 27%). The total number of granted naturalization rights amounted to a modest 614 people or 0.7% of all foreigners in 1911. In the years 1911-1915, 3,050 foreigners were granted citizenship and in the period 1916-1920 it was 2,024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alien legislation<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The legislation and the authorities’ practice in the treatment of foreigners has over time been based on two principles:<\/p>\n\n\n\n