Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. Christian Democratic parties and religious voting

Abstract

Religion has a different background in Scandinavia than in the rest of Europe. Due to the dominance of the Lutheran Church—officially sanctioned as the State’s Church—denominational affiliation has not played the same role as in countries with strong non-Lutheran confessions. Despite the fact that Scandinavia is one of the most secular parts of the world, all three countries have a Christian party, with the Norwegian party serving as a ‘role model’ and also gathering most votes. Despite a limited electoral base, all three parties have been influential through their participation in coalition governments. The Scandinavian parties have a narrower appeal than some of their European sister parties, attracting first and foremost religiously active and committed voters.