Danes go to the polls

COPENHAGEN – Danes voted yesterday in a general election, with polls predicting a slim victory for Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen’s centre-right coalition after a campaign dominated by the welfare state and immigration.

The Liberal-Conservative government, along with its parliamentary ally the far-right, anti-immigrant Danish People’s Party (DPP), has led public opinion polls since Rasmussen called snap elections three weeks ago, though its lead has narrowed considerably in recent days. Four polls published late Monday and early yesterday had Rasmussen, 54, with a narrow lead, but between 10 and 20 per cent of voters had yet to make up their minds.”It’s going to be tight, but we’ll pull it off,” Rasmussen told reporters as he cast his ballot in the Naerum suburb of Copenhagen.Surveys showed his minority coalition and the far-right could win between 86 and 93 seats in the 179-seat Folketing, or parliament, where 90 seats are needed for a majority.The centre-left opposition, headed by Social Democratic leader Helle Thorning-Schmidt, was predicted to win between 78 and 84 seats.A new party, New Alliance, could hold the position of kingmaker once the votes are tallied.The centre-right formation, which was created earlier this year with the goal of reducing the minority government’s dependence on the far-right DPP, has vowed to support Rasmussen if he meets certain demands, notably improving conditions for refugees.It would win four to five seats, according to the polls.Rasmussen, in power since 2001, has campaigned on his strong economic record, arguing that the country’s robust economy with record low unemployment was the best guarantor of the Danes’ cherished welfare state.”We have had six years of economic growth and stability and we are asking voters for a new vote of confidence to continue our work,” he said yesterday.Thorning-Schmidt has meanwhile warned that tax cuts introduced by the government and its proposed tax freeze risk jeopardising the welfare system, and has pledged to upgrade schools, daycare centres, health care facilities and nursing homes.The prime minister called the election 15 months ahead of schedule to take advantage of Denmark’s flourishing economy and the creation of New Alliance to widen his parliamentary majority.He also wanted to take advantage of an opposition divided over several thorny issues.But the election campaign may not have panned out as Rasmussen had planned, with the opposition putting up a tougher-than-expected fight.Thorning-Schmidt, who has headed the Social Democrats since April 2005, has surprised many by uniting the centre-left parties and presenting the bloc as a solid alternative to Rasmussen’s government, something few observers expected three weeks ago.Nampa-AFPFour polls published late Monday and early yesterday had Rasmussen, 54, with a narrow lead, but between 10 and 20 per cent of voters had yet to make up their minds.”It’s going to be tight, but we’ll pull it off,” Rasmussen told reporters as he cast his ballot in the Naerum suburb of Copenhagen.Surveys showed his minority coalition and the far-right could win between 86 and 93 seats in the 179-seat Folketing, or parliament, where 90 seats are needed for a majority.The centre-left opposition, headed by Social Democratic leader Helle Thorning-Schmidt, was predicted to win between 78 and 84 seats.A new party, New Alliance, could hold the position of kingmaker once the votes are tallied.The centre-right formation, which was created earlier this year with the goal of reducing the minority government’s dependence on the far-right DPP, has vowed to support Rasmussen if he meets certain demands, notably improving conditions for refugees.It would win four to five seats, according to the polls.Rasmussen, in power since 2001, has campaigned on his strong economic record, arguing that the country’s robust economy with record low unemployment was the best guarantor of the Danes’ cherished welfare state.”We have had six years of economic growth and stability and we are asking voters for a new vote of confidence to continue our work,” he said yesterday.Thorning-Schmidt has meanwhile warned that tax cuts introduced by the government and its proposed tax freeze risk jeopardising the welfare system, and has pledged to upgrade schools, daycare centres, health care facilities and nursing homes.The prime minister called the election 15 months ahead of schedule to take advantage of Denmark’s flourishing economy and the creation of New Alliance to widen his parliamentary majority.He also wanted to take advantage of an opposition divided over several thorny issues.But the election campaign may not have panned out as Rasmussen had planned, with the opposition putting up a tougher-than-expected fight.Thorning-Schmidt, who has headed the Social Democrats since April 2005, has surprised many by uniting the centre-left parties and presenting the bloc as a solid alternative to Rasmussen’s government, something few observers expected three weeks ago.Nampa-AFP