Denmark's anti-immigration Danish People's Party (DPP) became the second largest party in Thursday's general election as the centre-left government was ousted by the right-wing bloc.
The DPP stood to become the largest right-wing party for the first time with more than 21 percent of the vote -- a record score -- as the right-wing bloc secured 90 seats in parliament.
That compared to 85 for Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt's centre-left bloc, with 99 percent of votes counted.
The DPP, which backed right-wing governments between 2001 and 2011, has yet to say whether it would seek to join a right-wing government. It could opt to remain outside government and provide informal support to the right-wing bloc in parliament to pass legislation.
"We are not afraid of being in government if that position gives us the greatest political influence," DPP leader Kristian Thulesen Dahl told news agency Ritzau.
"It's not certain that they will give us the concessions needed," he added, referring to a potential right-wing coalition.
The DPP had campaigned on tighter immigration rules, higher pensions for low-income earners and more money for healthcare and the elderly.
After the first exit polls were released, Dahl, visibly moved, sang the Liverpool FC anthem "You'll Never Walk Alone" as he took to the stage at a party event in the Danish parliament, cheered on by party workers and supporters.
"This election campaign has shown that we are a party that the others just can't avoid. We are a party to be taken seriously here in this country," he said.
- Immigration on agenda -
Immigration and the rising cost of housing asylum seekers was a major campaign theme for both right and left, along with the economy and the future of Denmark's cherished cradle-to-grave welfare state.
However, opinion polls had shown the DPP would only get around 18 percent of the vote.
Thorning-Schmidt, in power since 2011, and the right-wing opposition bloc leader Lars Lokke Rasmussen, who governed from 2009 to 2011, both tried to claim credit for a resurgent economy and tried to woo voters with pledges to curb immigration.
Around nine percent of Denmark's 5.7 million inhabitants were born abroad.
A string of minor spending scandals undermined voter confidence in Rasmussen, whose Venstre party looked set to garner less than 20 percent of the vote, losing more than one in four votes.
"The party won't be able to set the agenda for a right-wing government... That will instead be Kristian Thulesen Dahl," Lars Trier Mogensen, a political commentator at the Information newspaper, told tabloid Ekstra Bladet.
Others suggested the DPP would have to join a right-wing government even if it meant the party, often accused of populism, would have to "take responsibility."
"The DPP can't duck anymore. It would be to betray their voters if they don't join the government now," Sos Marie Serup, a political commentator at the BT tabloid, said.
"The right-wing voters have told the Danish People's Party that they must assume responsibility," she said.
- Polls showed tight race -
Thorning-Schmidt's approval ratings had been stuck in the doldrums for most of her four-year tenure as the economy dipped in and out of recession and her centre-left coalition implemented policies viewed as right-wing, including welfare cuts and corporate tax reductions.
But she rebounded in opinion polls after calling the election three weeks ago as economic growth returned -- it is expected to reach 1.7 percent this year -- and after taking a tough stance on immigration in a bid to win over voters from the DPP.
With opinion polls showing a dead heat between the two blocs and 20 percent of voters undecided, politicians campaigned right until the last minute.
Unusually for a Social Democrat, Thorning-Schmdit campaigned on the slogan "If you come to Denmark you should work". Her government has also introduced temporary residence permits for refugees, as part of its efforts to stem an influx of asylum seekers.
Rasmussen has said he would cut back the number of asylum seekers by slashing benefits for new immigrants and by making it harder to obtain permanent residency.
Denmark’s anti-immigration Danish People’s Party (DPP) became the second largest party in Thursday’s general election as the centre-left government was ousted by the right-wing bloc.
The DPP stood to become the largest right-wing party for the first time with more than 21 percent of the vote — a record score — as the right-wing bloc secured 90 seats in parliament.
That compared to 85 for Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt’s centre-left bloc, with 99 percent of votes counted.
The DPP, which backed right-wing governments between 2001 and 2011, has yet to say whether it would seek to join a right-wing government. It could opt to remain outside government and provide informal support to the right-wing bloc in parliament to pass legislation.
“We are not afraid of being in government if that position gives us the greatest political influence,” DPP leader Kristian Thulesen Dahl told news agency Ritzau.
“It’s not certain that they will give us the concessions needed,” he added, referring to a potential right-wing coalition.
The DPP had campaigned on tighter immigration rules, higher pensions for low-income earners and more money for healthcare and the elderly.
After the first exit polls were released, Dahl, visibly moved, sang the Liverpool FC anthem “You’ll Never Walk Alone” as he took to the stage at a party event in the Danish parliament, cheered on by party workers and supporters.
“This election campaign has shown that we are a party that the others just can’t avoid. We are a party to be taken seriously here in this country,” he said.
– Immigration on agenda –
Immigration and the rising cost of housing asylum seekers was a major campaign theme for both right and left, along with the economy and the future of Denmark’s cherished cradle-to-grave welfare state.
However, opinion polls had shown the DPP would only get around 18 percent of the vote.
Thorning-Schmidt, in power since 2011, and the right-wing opposition bloc leader Lars Lokke Rasmussen, who governed from 2009 to 2011, both tried to claim credit for a resurgent economy and tried to woo voters with pledges to curb immigration.
Around nine percent of Denmark’s 5.7 million inhabitants were born abroad.
A string of minor spending scandals undermined voter confidence in Rasmussen, whose Venstre party looked set to garner less than 20 percent of the vote, losing more than one in four votes.
“The party won’t be able to set the agenda for a right-wing government… That will instead be Kristian Thulesen Dahl,” Lars Trier Mogensen, a political commentator at the Information newspaper, told tabloid Ekstra Bladet.
Others suggested the DPP would have to join a right-wing government even if it meant the party, often accused of populism, would have to “take responsibility.”
“The DPP can’t duck anymore. It would be to betray their voters if they don’t join the government now,” Sos Marie Serup, a political commentator at the BT tabloid, said.
“The right-wing voters have told the Danish People’s Party that they must assume responsibility,” she said.
– Polls showed tight race –
Thorning-Schmidt’s approval ratings had been stuck in the doldrums for most of her four-year tenure as the economy dipped in and out of recession and her centre-left coalition implemented policies viewed as right-wing, including welfare cuts and corporate tax reductions.
But she rebounded in opinion polls after calling the election three weeks ago as economic growth returned — it is expected to reach 1.7 percent this year — and after taking a tough stance on immigration in a bid to win over voters from the DPP.
With opinion polls showing a dead heat between the two blocs and 20 percent of voters undecided, politicians campaigned right until the last minute.
Unusually for a Social Democrat, Thorning-Schmdit campaigned on the slogan “If you come to Denmark you should work”. Her government has also introduced temporary residence permits for refugees, as part of its efforts to stem an influx of asylum seekers.
Rasmussen has said he would cut back the number of asylum seekers by slashing benefits for new immigrants and by making it harder to obtain permanent residency.
