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Centre-left Social Democrats set to win in Denmark elections Centre-left Social Democrats victorious in Denmark elections
(about 5 hours later)
Voters looked set to return the third left-leaning government in a year to the Nordic region after exit polls suggested Denmark’s Social Democrats had secured victory in parliamentary elections with more than 25% of the vote. Voters appear to have returned the third left-leaning government in a year to the Nordic region as Denmark’s Social Democrats claimed victory in parliamentary elections with 25.9% of the vote.
The centre-left party was forecast to beat the centre-right Liberals of the outgoing prime minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, set to finish second on nearly 21%, while the populist far-right Danish People’s party (DPP) managed 9.8% – less than half its score in the 2015 election. The centre-left party finished clear of the centre-right Liberals of outgoing prime minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, who improved on their 2015 score to reach 23.4%, and the populist, far-right Danish People’s party (DPP), which plunged to 8.7% – less than half its tally in the last election.
The polls for broadcasters DR and TV2 gave the Social Democrat-led “red bloc” of leftist parties more than 90 seats in the 179-seat Folketing.The party leader, Mette Frederiksen, however, has repeatedly said that rather than assemble a coalition, she aims to form a minority government – common in Denmark – with ad hoc support from parties across the spectrum. Although the Social Democrat-led “red bloc” of leftist parties won 91 seats in the 179-seat Folketing, against 75 for Rasmussen’s rival “blue bloc”, Mette Frederiksen, the Social Democrat leader, has said she intends to form a minority government with ad hoc support from parties across the spectrum.
She rejected a last-minute proposal from Rasmussen to enter into a grand coalition with the Liberals, who have headed a “blue bloc” alliance of rightwing parties in power for 14 of the last 18 years, in order to limit the possible influence of smaller, more extreme parties. Forming a coalition could prove difficult as other parties on the left mostly do not back the Social Democrats’ controversial immigration policies. Frederiksen has also rejected a proposal from Rasmussen to enter a “grand coalition” with his Liberals, although the two biggest parties have a majority between them.
Denmark's centre-left set to win election with anti-immigration shiftDenmark's centre-left set to win election with anti-immigration shift
Voting in the Copenhagen suburb of Varlose, Frederiksen said her party’s tougher, at times controversial stance on immigration had helped it win back support. “Some Social Democrat voters who have been lost in the last few years, who didn’t support our migration policy, are returning this time,” she said. Rasmussen conceded defeat on Wednesday night, saying he would hand his government’s resignation to Queen Margrethe on Thursday. “As things stand, Mette Frederiksen has a chance to form a government,” he said. “I don’t think it will be easy for her.” He said he would be “standing by the phone” for eventual coalition talks.
The centre-left party focused its campaign on climate issues and the defence of Denmark’s prized welfare state, promising to reverse years of spending cuts to education and healthcare, and maintain its hardline approach to immigration. Frederiksen told a victory party that Denmark had “chosen a new majority, and a new direction … After tonight, we will put welfare first in Denmark again. Welfare, climate, education, children, future. Think of what we can do together. We now have the hope to change Denmark.”
Long the gold standard for welfare, the Nordic social model has come under increasing pressure in recent years due to ageing populations. In Denmark, reforms have led to economic growth above the EU average, but successive budget cuts have left more people paying for services that used to be free. The centre-left party focused its campaign on climate issues and the defence of Denmark’s prized welfare state, promising to reverse years of spending cuts to education and healthcare, and maintain its tough approach on immigration.
Many Danes, who pay some of the highest taxes in the world, worry that further austerity will erode their cradle-to-grave social services. “It’s obvious we need to start spending again,” Frederiksen said on the campaign trail last week. Long a benchmark for welfare, the Nordic social model has come under increasing pressure in recent years due to ageing populations. In Denmark, reforms have led to economic growth above the EU average, but successive budget cuts have left more people paying for services that used to be free.
Finland’s Social Democrats narrowly won elections in April on a promise to raise taxes to increase social spending levels, while Sweden’s centre-left party held onto power last year by pledging welfare reforms. Finland’s Social Democrats narrowly won elections in April on a promise to raise taxes to increase social spending levels, while Sweden’s centre-left party held on to power last year by pledging welfare reforms.
According to a Gallup poll published in February, 57% of Danish voters felt the incoming government should prioritise action on the climate crisis. For those aged between 18 and 35, the figure was 69%.According to a Gallup poll published in February, 57% of Danish voters felt the incoming government should prioritise action on the climate crisis. For those aged between 18 and 35, the figure was 69%.
Denmark’s mainstream parties have adopted in recent years hardline anti-immigration policies that were previously the preserve of the far right, which immigrants and human rights campaigners believe have led to a rise in racist abuse and discrimination. But Frederiksen has refused to accept criticism of her position on immigration. The Social Democrats have backed many of the restrictive immigration measures passed by the outgoing government, most of them at the instigation – and with the parliamentary support – of the far-right DPP. Denmark’s mainstream parties have in recent years adopted hardline anti-immigration policies previously the preserve of the far right, which immigrants and human rights campaigners believe have led to a rise in racist abuse and discrimination.
But Frederiksen has refused to accept criticism of her position on immigration. The Social Democrats have backed many of the restrictive immigration measures passed by the outgoing government, most of them at the instigation – and with the parliamentary support – of the far-right DPP.
Stigmatised, marginalised: life inside Denmark’s official ghettosStigmatised, marginalised: life inside Denmark’s official ghettos
These have included a ban on wearing the Islamic burqa and niqab in public, as well as a widely-criticised “jewellery bill” allowing police to seize refugees’ valuables to help pay the cost of their treatment by the state. Both the Social Democrats and Liberals have argued that stricter immigration policies were needed to protect the welfare system.These have included a ban on wearing the Islamic burqa and niqab in public, as well as a widely-criticised “jewellery bill” allowing police to seize refugees’ valuables to help pay the cost of their treatment by the state. Both the Social Democrats and Liberals have argued that stricter immigration policies were needed to protect the welfare system.
The nationalist, anti-immigration DPP, which has heavily influenced Denmark’s politics over the past two decades by supporting successive centre-right governments in exchange for tighter immigration policies, has lost support as the mainstream parties have increasingly adopted its discourse.The nationalist, anti-immigration DPP, which has heavily influenced Denmark’s politics over the past two decades by supporting successive centre-right governments in exchange for tighter immigration policies, has lost support as the mainstream parties have increasingly adopted its discourse.
Anja Westphal, an analyst at Denmark’s public broadcaster DR, said: “Mette Frederiksen has loved the Danish People’s party to death with her tough line on foreigners.” But the far-right party has also come under pressure from two new extreme-right parties, one of which, Stram Kurs (Hard Line), has called for Islam to be banned and hundreds of thousands of Muslims to be deported. It failed to reach the 2% threshold for a seat in parliament.
But the far-right party has also come under pressure from two new extreme-right parties, one of which, Stram Kurs (Hard Line), has called for Islam to be banned and hundreds of thousands of Muslims to be deported. Exit polls suggested that Stram Kurs was just under the 2% threshold necessary to win a seat in parliament.
DenmarkDenmark
EuropeEurope
The far rightThe far right
IslamophobiaIslamophobia
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