The Executive

Subject to the limitations laid down in this Constitutional Act, the King shall have supreme authority in all the affairs of the realm, and shall exercise such supreme authority through the Ministers.

The King shall not be answerable for his actions; his person shall be sacrosanct. The Ministers shall be responsible for the conduct of government; their responsibility shall be defined by statute.

The King shall appoint and dismiss the Prime Minister and the other Ministers. He shall decide upon the number of Ministers and upon the distribution of the duties of government among them. The signature of the King to resolutions relating to legislation and government shall make such resolutions valid, provided that the signature of the King is accompanied by the signature or signatures of one or more Ministers. A Minister who has signed a resolution shall be responsible for the resolution.

A Minister shall not remain in office after the Folketing has approved a vote of no confidence in him.

When the Folketing passes a vote of no confidence in the Prime Minister, he shall ask for the dismissal of the Ministry unless writs are to be issued for a general election. Where a vote of censure has been passed on a Ministry, or it has asked for its dismissal, it shall continue in office until a new Ministry has been appointed. Ministers who remain in office as aforesaid shall perform only what may be necessary to ensure the uninterrupted conduct of official business.

Ministers may be impeached by the King or the Folketing for maladministration of office. The High Court of the Realm shall try cases of impeachment brought against Ministers for maladministration of office.

The body of Ministers shall form the Council of State, in which the Heir to the Throne shall have a seat when of age. The Council of State shall be presided over by the King except in the instance mentioned in section 8, and in instances where the legislature in pursuance of section 9 may have delegated the conduct of government to the Council of State.

All Bills and important government measures shall be discussed in the Council of State.

Should the King be prevented from holding a Council of State, he may entrust the discussion of any matter to a Council of Ministers. Such Council of Ministers shall consist of all the Ministers, and shall be presided over by the Prime Minister. The vote of each Minister shall be entered in a minute book, and any question shall be decided by a majority of votes. The Prime Minister shall submit the minutes, signed by the Ministers present, to the King, who shall decide whether he will immediately consent to the recommendations of the Council of Ministers, or have the matter brought before him in a Council of State.

The King shall act on behalf of the realm in international affairs, but, except with the consent of the Folketing, the King shall not undertake any act whereby the territory of the realm shall be increased or reduced, nor shall he enter into any obligation which for fulfilment requires the concurrence of the Folketing or which is otherwise of major importance; nor shall the King, except with the consent of the Folketing, terminate any international treaty entered into with the consent of the Folketing.

Except for purposes of defence against an armed attack upon the realm or Danish forces, the King shall not use military force against any foreign state without the consent of the Folketing. Any measure which the King may take in pursuance of this provision shall forthwith be submitted to the Folketing. If the Folketing is not in session, it shall be convened immediately.

The Folketing shall appoint from among its members a Foreign Affairs Committee, which the government shall consult before making any decision of major importance to foreign policy. Rules applying to the Foreign Affairs Committee shall be laid down by statute.

Powers vested in the authorities of the realm under this Constitutional Act may, to such extent as shall be provided by statute, be delegated to international authorities set up by mutual agreement with other states for the promotion of international rules of law and co-operation.

For the enactment of a Bill dealing with the above, a majority of five sixths of the members of the Folketing shall be required. If this majority is not obtained, whereas the majority required for the passing of ordinary Bills is obtained, and if the Government maintains it, the Bill shall be submitted to the electorate for approval or rejection in accordance with the rules for referenda laid down in section 42.

The King may cause Bills and other measures to be introduced in the Folketing.

A Bill passed by the Folketing shall become law if it receives the Royal Assent not later than 30 days after it was finally passed. The King shall order the promulgation of statutes and shall ensure that they are carried into effect.

In an emergency the King may, when the Folketing cannot assemble, issue provisional laws, provided that they shall not be at variance with the Constitutional Act, and that they shall always, immediately on the assembling of the Folketing, be submitted to it for approval or rejection.

The King shall have the prerogative of mercy and of granting amnesty. The King may grant Ministers a pardon for sentences passed upon them by the High Court of the Realm, subject to the consent of the Folketing.

The King may, either directly or through the relevant government authorities, make such grants and grant such exemptions from the statutes as are either warranted under the rules existing before June 5th, 1849, or have been warranted by a statute passed since that date.

The King may cause money to be minted as provided by statute.

Rules governing the appointment of civil servants shall be laid down by statute. No person shall be appointed a civil servant unless he be a Danish subject. Civil servants who are appointed by the King shall make a solemn declaration of loyalty to the Constitutional Act.

Rules governing the dismissal, transfer and pensioning of civil servants shall be laid down by statute – see section 64.

Civil servants appointed by the King shall be transferred without their consent only provided that they do not suffer loss of income in respect of their posts or offices, and that they have been offered the choice of such transfer or retirement on pension under the general rules and regulations.