- Title: DENMARK: Danish election likely to be closer than expected
- Date: 12th November 2007
- Summary: (BN04) COPENHAGEN, DENMARK (NOVEMBER 11, 2007) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PARTY LEADERS AHEAD OF TELEVISED DEBATE
- Embargoed: 27th November 2007 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Denmark
- Country: Denmark
- Topics: Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA9QPE0RZ2NBUEZEVDMO5NY5LQV
- Story Text: With only one day to go, Denmark's centre-right prime minister has lost the solid lead he had when he called an early election last month and whatever the result of Tuesday's vote it will reshape the country's government.
With campaigning in full swing, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, fighting for a third term on the back of strong economic growth, is level in the polls with new Social Democrat leader Helle Thorning-Schmidt, who aims to be Denmark's first woman prime minister and wants to stop planned tax cuts.
Even if Rasmussen's Liberal Party comes first, he faces the prospect of forging a difficult coalition that would need to bring together a vocal anti-immigrant party and a centrist group led by a Syrian-born Muslim.
Rasmussen did not need to call an election until 2009 but decided on an early vote in the hope that a strong economy, tax cuts and record-low unemployment would secure him a third term.
"The Danish economy is in a very good shape. We do not have serious political problems. So all in all, people are satisfied so it's a question which government can continue or take over after the 13th of November," he said, adding that he was confident he would be the one forming a new government.
Rasmussen has done most of what he pledged to voters six years ago -- slashing the number of immigrants granted asylum by almost 80 per cent with some of the toughest immigration laws in Europe and cutting taxes.
Under him, the country of 5.5 million has enjoyed an unprecedented economic boom.
But polls show the most burning issue this time is the fate of the welfare system.
This is where Social Democrat Thorning-Schmidt has gained ground, arguing that Danes have to choose between tax cuts and better welfare. She has said she will roll back tax cuts Rasmussen plans for next year.
"We are very different and we are very different in terms of our value system, our perspective in terms of the welfare state, public services and I think these differences are very clear and particularly the question which we are bringing to the vote now which is the question - do you want tax cuts or improve the public services," she said while campaigning in the south of Denmark.
Thorning-Schmidt and Rasmussen have similar pro-EU foreign policies and would keep troops in Afghanistan. Seeking to disarm his rival in key areas, Rasmussen this year pulled ground troops from Iraq and proposed to increase public spending to improve the quality of welfare.
But the party that looks set to decide the shape of the new government is the centrist New Alliance, formed just six months ago. Led by Syrian-born Naser Khader, it wants better treatment for refugees and lower taxes.
"We have many key issues but the most important is tax reform and new asylum and immigration politics and health," Khader said.
Khader has said he will support Rasmussen to form a government, but clearly has demands that conflict with the other likely coalition party, the anti-immigrant Danish People's Party.
In predominantly social democrat Copenhagen, people said the focus of the campaign had been on immigration, tax cuts and welfare reform.
"It's always about the foreign people in Denmark, they speak a lot about it and then it's the taxes we pay in Denmark," said Anne-Mette Hemmingsen.
Jens Byskov was out on the streets carrying a placard on which he had written down reasons why people should not re-elect Rasmussen. He said he did this instead of writing letters to newspapers.
Byskov said the campaign showed up the differences in values between the two main parties.
"Basically, liberal values versus the more social democratic values, where the liberal values are more about competition and that you have to assert yourself, maybe at the expense of others but the other side says that you can find your motivation in other aspects of life than just income and competition," he explained.
Any Danish citizen of 18 and over who lives in Denmark can vote in the parliamentary elections. There are about 4 million eligible voters and turnout is usually around 90 per cent. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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