Danes Re-Elect Immigration Hardliner Rasmussen
Reuters
February 9, 2005
COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Denmark's center-right Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen won a second term on Tuesday on the back of a popular crackdown on asylum-seekers and cuts in sky-high taxes, final results showed.
Rasmussen's Liberal-Conservative coalition and their allies, who came to power in 2001, won 54 percent of the four million votes compared with 46 percent for the center-left opposition.
"The political shift which began in 2001 is reaffirmed. The Social Democrats and left wing have lost further and a stronger government can continue its work," said Rasmussen, the first Liberal prime minister ever to be re-elected.
The 52-year-old prime minister called a snap election three weeks ago to capitalize on what he termed a "fairy tale" economic and social scenario.
Celebrations at Liberal campaign headquarters by the loss of 4 seats in the 179-seat parliament, although they remained the biggest party.
Immigration dominated the brief campaign. Laws passed in 2002 making it harder to bring foreign spouses into Denmark and to qualify for asylum have cut immigration sharply. Immigrants account for 2 percent of the electorate.
"I think they've done good work because of their immigration policy. That's why I voted for them," said Copenhagen barmaid Marie Hessner. "Instead of getting more foreigners in the country it's important to integrate those who are already here."
Rasmussen, who sent troops to Iraq to help in the U.S.-led war, had warned a victory for the main opposition Social Democrats would "loosen up" asylum policies which he boasts are being copied by European leaders like Britain's Tony Blair.
Rasmussen "Delivers"
His tax cuts were also popular and economic growth outstrips the euro zone. Marginal tax rates are still the world's highest but consumer confidence is at a seven-year high. One survey rated Danes the happiest people in the world.
"I like his ideas on taxes. Everything Rasmussen has said so far, he has delivered," said estate agent Mads Roepstorff.
The Social Democrats failed to provide a clear alternative after falling in line with the government both on immigration and Iraq, recording their worst election result in decades. "I am sad that Danes will now have to live with a Liberal government propped up by the Danish People's Party," said the defeated 59-year-old Social Democrat leader Mogens Lykketoft, referring to the ruling coalition's anti-immigrant allies.
The DPP, whose proposals include expelling immigrants whose children commit crimes, took two more seats.
"It shows immigration policy is on the right track and we are being rewarded for it," said DPP leader Pia Kjaersgaard.
But at the same time the opposition Social Liberal Party almost doubled its support in what party leader Marianne Jelved called a "big victory" due to its calls for softer asylum laws.
The government insists its asylum laws are "firm but fair." Bertel Haarder, the immigration minister, said it was "extremely difficult to integrate newcomers into the labor market if they have no qualifications or Danish language."
Police were on alert after an intelligence warning that Denmark's role in Iraq raised the risk of a militant attack. Although support for the war is waning and six out of 10 people want the 500 troops withdrawn, it was not a hot campaign issue.
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