Danish Council of State

The Council of State (Danish: Statsrådet) is the privy council of Denmark. The body of advisors to the Danish sovereign, the council is a formal institution, with largely ceremonial functions. Chaired by the sovereign, the council comprises all cabinet ministers and the Crown prince or hereditary princess when he or she is of age. When unavailable, the sovereign is represented by the regent or Lord Protector (Danish: Rigsforstander).

Unlike its British and Canadian counterparts, membership of the council does not carry along with it an entitlement to a special title or form of address.

In its beginnings, the council was a place of debate amongst the ministers over government policy. However, since the formation of real political parties at the beginning of the 20th century, these debates were moved from the council to informal ministerial meetings where government policy could be coordinated – usually held every Wednesday. As a result, the primary function of the council today is to grant royal assent, which is done by the counter-signatures of the sovereign and a minister. Before granting the assent, a relevant minister explains the general aim of the bill brought before the council. According to section 22 of the Danish constitution, a bill must be granted assent within thirty days of its passing by parliament, at the latest, for it to become an Act. In urgent cases, or if a passed law will be in conflict with this time limit if only signed at the next scheduled council meeting, the responsible minister for the law is also allowed to visit the royal institution at a separate meeting ahead of the scheduled council meeting, and ask for royal assent. The sovereign cannot be held responsible for any granted assent.

Besides enacting parliamentary bills, as a rule all government bills also have to have formal approval by the sovereign and a minister before introduction to parliament. Approval is also given by the council to all of the sovereign's actions as head of state.

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