Social Democratic Youth of Denmark
The Social Democratic Youth of Denmark (Danish: Danmarks Socialdemokratiske Ungdom, DSU) is the national youth wing of the Danish Social Democrats. It is not to be confused with Frit Forum, which is for those in higher education, and whose membership is not restricted by age, unlike the DSU. The organisation is autonomous from the Social Democrats and as such is entitled to formulate its own policies and devise its own campaigns.
| Social Democratic Youth of Denmark Danmarks Socialdemokratiske Ungdom (DSU) | |
|---|---|
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| Chairperson | Frederik Vad Nielsen |
| Secretary General | Maj Jensen |
| Founded | 1920 |
| Headquarters | Kigkurren 8D, Copenhagen, Denmark |
| Mother party | Social Democrats |
| International affiliation | International Union of Socialist Youth |
| European affiliation | Young European Socialists |
| Scandinavian affiliation | Forbundet Nordens Socialdemokratiske Ungdom (FNSU) |
| National affiliation | Dansk Ungdoms Fællesråd (DUF) |
| Website | dsu.net |
The Social Democratic Youth movement was established in 1920 after a break-up of the former youth organisation, the Social Democratic Youth League (Socialdemokratisk Ungdomsforbund, SUF). At first, the organisation was known as the "DsU". The founders of DSU wanted to change the Danish society by gradual reforms and not by revolution.
Affiliations
DSU is a member of Dansk Ungdoms Fællesråd (DUF), the Forbundet Nordens Socialdemokratiske Ungdom (FNSU), the Young European Socialists (YES) and the International Union of Socialist Youth (IUSY).
Chairs
The incumbent chair of Social Democratic Youth is Alexander Grandt Pedersen who was elected at the DSU 2014 convention in May. The general secretary of the DSU is Jakob K. Sørensen who was elected at the 2012 convention.
Former DSU chairs:
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Organisation
The legislative and most powerful assembly is the national convention, held every second year in April or May. It consists of 235 delegates, mainly elected in the local branches. The convention is approving the annual accounts of the national organisation, it is deciding new organizational work programmes, political resolutions and proposals and is finally electing a national executive committee.
The national executive committee ("Forretningsudvalget") consists of 10 elected members and also the Chairperson, the Vice-Chairperson and the Secretary General. They are elected at the convention too. The Chairperson, the Vice-Chairperson and the Secretary General are receiving an economic compensation/fee for their jobs.
Above the national executive committee, DSU has a kind of "second chamber", the major council Hovedbestyrelsen, which consists of the national executive committee (13 members) and 29 local representatives, elected in the 10 regions. The Social Democrats and Frit Forum, the Social Democrats' student wing, have one observer each. Hovedbestyrelsen is also the highest the most powerful assembly between conventions.
DSU has three different nationwide, permanent committees with members from all levels in the organization and from everywhere in Denmark. The committees have the following topics and tasks:
- Activities and seminars (planning of national events etc.) (abb. "AKU" )
- International affairs and cooperation (abb. "IU")
- Editor's group, Members' magazine ("DSU'eren")
DSU is divided into 10 regions, following the borders of the Danish major constituencies. Each region has a regional executive committee and is every year electing their local representatives to Hovedbestyrelsen.
DSU has around 60 local branches, though these may come and go at any moment and is therefore not an exact figure. The local branches are responsible for local activities and local campaigns. DSU has in the local communities an important role in the campaign work for the Social Democrats. Especially when it comes to door-to-door campaigning, inspired from the 2008 Obama election campaign, the DSU has an important role.
