| Election Name: | 1988 Danish general election |
| Country: | Kingdom of Denmark |
| Previous Election: | 1987 |
| Next Election: | 1990 |
| Seats For Election: | All 179 seats in the Folketing |
| Majority Seats: | 90 |
| Election Date: | 10 May 1988 |
| Party1: | Social Democrats (Denmark) |
| Last Election1: | 54 |
| Seats1: | 55 |
| Percentage1: | 29.82 |
| Party2: | Conservative People's Party (Denmark) |
| Last Election2: | 38 |
| Seats2: | 35 |
| Percentage2: | 19.29 |
| Party3: | Socialist People's Party (Denmark) |
| Last Election3: | 27 |
| Seats3: | 24 |
| Percentage3: | 13.01 |
| Party4: | Venstre (Denmark) |
| Last Election4: | 19 |
| Seats4: | 22 |
| Percentage4: | 11.84 |
| Party5: | Progress Party (Denmark) |
| Last Election5: | 9 |
| Seats5: | 16 |
| Percentage5: | 8.96 |
| Party6: | Danish Social Liberal Party |
| Last Election6: | 11 |
| Seats6: | 10 |
| Percentage6: | 5.58 |
| Party7: | Centre Democrats (Denmark) |
| Last Election7: | 9 |
| Seats7: | 9 |
| Percentage7: | 4.67 |
| Last Election8: | 4 |
| Seats8: | 4 |
| Percentage8: | 2.04 |
| Heading9: | Elected in the Faroe Islands |
| Party9: | People's Party (Faroe Islands) |
| Last Election9: | 1 |
| Seats9: | 1 |
| Percentage9: | 24.68 |
| Party10: | Union Party (Faroe Islands) |
| Last Election10: | 0 |
| Seats10: | 1 |
| Percentage10: | 24.43 |
| Heading11: | Elected in Greenland |
| Party11: | Siumut |
| Last Election11: | 1 |
| Seats11: | 1 |
| Percentage11: | 40.07 |
| Party12: | Atassut |
| Last Election12: | 1 |
| Seats12: | 1 |
| Percentage12: | 38.74 |
| Prime Minister | |
| Posttitle: | Prime Minister-elect |
| Before Election: | Poul Schlüter |
| Before Party: | Conservative People's Party (Denmark) |
| After Election: | Poul Schlüter |
| After Party: | Conservative People's Party (Denmark) |
| Turnout: | 85.70% |
General elections were held in Denmark on 10 May 1988,[1] just seven months after the last elections. Prime Minister Poul Schlüter chose to call for an election after the Conservative People's Party-led government fell short of a majority in a foreign policy issue after they failed to come to an agreement with the Social Democrats. In a parliamentary debate, Prime Minister Poul Schlüter accused Svend Auken (the leader of the Social Democrats) of breaking a political deal between the two of them whilst Auken accused Schlüter of lying to the public.
However, the election did not change the balance of power in the Folketing. Common Course failed to cross the 2% percent threshold and lost their four seats. The Centre Democrats and the Christian People's Party left the government (although they continued to support it) and were replaced by the Danish Social Liberal Party. The reason for doing this was that it gave Schlüter a majority in foreign policy issues which had caused this election. Nonetheless, the Centre Democrats and the Christian People's Party continued to support the government.
Voter turnout was 86% in Denmark proper, 70% in the Faroe Islands and 58% in Greenland.[2]