Denmark - Elections: Anti-Immigration Policies on the Rise

[Menydh]

Denmark Re-Elects PM Who Cracked Down on Asylum

Reuters
February 8, 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 Denmark's high taxes, according to partial election results.

Rasmussen's Liberal-Conservative coalition and their allies won 56 percent compared with 44 percent for the center-left opposition, with 56 percent of the 4 million votes counted.

The 52-year-old becomes the first Liberal prime minister ever to be re-elected in Denmark. He called a snap election three weeks ago to capitalize on what he described as a "fairy tale" economic and social scenario in the country.

Celebrations at Liberal campaign headquarters were muted by the loss of a few seats in parliament compared to the 2001 poll that brought Rasmussen to power.

"The most important thing is that the prime minister is re-elected, which will be a historic achievement," said Lars Lokke Rasmussen, interior minister and deputy party chief.

Immigration dominated the brief campaign. Laws passed in 2002 make it harder to bring foreign spouses into Denmark and to qualify for asylum, and 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.

He is also popular for tax cuts and overseeing growth outstripping 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.


Big Dissapointment


The Social Democrats failed to provide a clear alternative after falling in line with the government both on Iraq and immigration, recording their worst election result in decades.

"It's a major disappointment," said Svend Auken, a member of parliament for the Social Democrats whose campaign was led by 59-year-old ex-Foreign and Finance Minister Mogens Lykketoft.

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 now want the 500 troops withdrawn, Iraq took a back seat in the campaign to the immigration debate.

The opposition Social Liberal Party doubled its vote. Leader Marianne Jelved said this "big victory" was thanks to its clear stand for softer immigration laws. Rasmussen's Conservative coalition allies, who want lower taxes, also gained seats.

The anti-immigrant Danish People's Party (Dansk Folkeparti), an ally of the ruling coalition, whose proposals include expelling immigrants whose children commit crimes, looked set to take more seats.

"It shows immigration policy is on the right track and we are being rewarded for it," said DPP leader Pia Kjaersgaard.

The Danish government calls its asylum laws "firm but fair." Bertel Haarder, the immigration minister who says he is the second most popular politician after Rasmussen, said Denmark continued to welcome immigrants who have qualifications or jobs.

"Denmark is a welfare state where it is extremely difficult to integrate newcomers into the labor market if they have no qualifications or Danish language," he told correspondents.



[source]

[Menydh]

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.


[source]

[Menydh]

Danish Right-Wing Confirms its Majority and the Extreme Right Vote Grows

La Razón
February 9, 2005

[...]

With 80% of the votes counted, the Liberal Party "Venstre" obtains a 30.6% of the votes (9.1% in 2001) and 18 seats, two more than so far.

The ultra right-wing party "Dansk Folkeparti" (Danish Popular Party), allied in the Parliament of the Government coalition, lead by Pia Kjaersgaard, a populist housewife knwon among the immigrants as "the Blue Eyes Viper", obtains 24 seats, two more than in 2001, and 13.5% of the votes. This is a result which makes this xenophobe party the third political force in the country, and gives the bourgeoise block of the Liberals, Conservatives, and Ultraright Wingers, a comfortable majority in the Parliament with a total of 55% against the 45% obtained by the parties of the left block.

[Phlegethon]

So the American flag wavers and Israel buttcreepers of the Danish People's Party won another two seats.

Unfortunately this has nothing to do with nationalism but only with the exact opposite: Anglo-American hegemony and worldwide exploitation.

[Menydh]

I was completely unaware of those facts. Care to extend on it?

In any case it seems as if this time they play no role within the ruling coalition: Danish PM rules out role for anti-immigrant party

[Phlegethon]

Without the DPP they have no majority, if I counted correctly. So maybe they want their votes without making them a part of the government coalition - but then they'd have to buy the DPP somehow.

Anyway, Kjaersgaard and her cronies are pro-American, pro-Zionist Dubya butt buddies. The real national resistance in Denmark comes from the Left, not from the friends of the international corporations.

[Ederico]

Originally Posted by Phlegethon

Anyway, Kjaersgaard and her cronies are pro-American, pro-Zionist Dubya butt buddies. The real national resistance in Denmark comes from the Left, not from the friends of the international corporations.

Care to expand? Oppostion to Anglo-American Globalisation and Capitalism or opposition to Multiculturalism and Immigration?

[Phlegethon]

Both, although unfortunately the first is predominant while the latter is the domain of the smarter left-wingers. But I still prefer the socialist position to the pro-American pro-Zionist pro-globalization capitalist policies of the DPP.

[Ederico]

Interesting observation. Are there any type of potentially Left-Wing Nationalist or Anti-Immigrationanist/Multicultural movements in Denmarks which enjoy some relative degree of success?

[Phlegethon]

I don't think so, but they still have Henning Eichberg up there.

[Ederico]

Originally Posted by Phlegethon

I don't think so, but they still have Henning Eichberg up there.

Who is?

[Menydh]

Isn't he a neohippie who proposes a new religion based on neopaganism (Germanic, Celtic, Indian) and folkish nationalism?

[Phlegethon]

http://www.ifo-forsk.dk/Engelsk/y_heEichberg.htm