Outlook World Out ook The big winner in Danish November 20 was the Liberal Party led by Anders Fogh since 1924, Social Democracy is not the biggest political For many vorers, elections were a choice between the old Prime Minister Poul Nyrup the new Anders Fogh Rasmussen outcomed all opinion polls since late 1998 torical setback for Democracy At that time the replaced by another Rasmussen with the bourgeois opposition ment pension at the age of 60. Earty retirement now requires a private saving for 25 years. Le borinning at the ace of 35.
Social Democratic support dropped from 36% in the March 98 elections to below 20% and has only slowly recovered since then, standing at 29% in the recent elections.
The victory of the right wing mean a turn to the right by the voters. During the election Campany Liberas as wors the Peoples Party pretended to be the best defenders of the welfare system, particularty health and care of the elderty.
The bourgeois parties they had any intentions of cutting the welfare system but stressed the importance of "free choice", "personal freedom' and Thuman care. and several other cities across the country, government will to the wooe At national level, Liberals will establish a government with the Conservatives, supported by the second winner, the populist and anti-immieration Peoples Party which succeeded in putting the "probImmigrants on the agenda of all major parties. nificantly and break a tradition of governing with the support of small centre parties. The upcoming government will be unemployed, poor people and immigrants. Environmental protection will be sacrificed in Danish donations to international aid programs will be Telecal Profiting from a general ecohas been reduced significantly during nine years of Social Consequently, very impor cant restrictions of the right to unemployment benefits have been passed in Parlament implications.
With a new recession, this sible for the government to fulfil its welfare promises.
the lour key Liberal ciecon Ousted: Poul Rasmussen (right) goes - 10 be promises were: I) stricter senand serious violence, 2) a standstill on taxes, 3) more slation and 4) improved health the presidential race between the two Rasmussens. the Liberal and the Social Democratic candidates, partly explains why the radical left in the Red Green Allance went down from 5 to 4 seats (2.4% of the national vote).
In Copenhagen, the stronghold of the Alliance, it went from 9.6% to 8.1% and cil. It will however, keep one of the seven City Mayors.
Two MPs were re-elected: Soeren Sendergaard, who is a member of SAP, the Danish section of the 4th International, and Keld European Union matters. The two new MPs are both women rene Konkne Theil is a 24-year-old student. Line Barfod is 37 year and a lawyer. Two members of SAP were elected to local councils.
The Allance will now have to adjust its political orientation. It entered the Parliament in tion, and became, in a certain sense, part of the government parliamentary majority While the general economic policy was supported by the right wing, in some specific cases - including education. the Alliance took part in deals and had a real influence.
Now, the Red Green Allance will be in a clear opposition. It will be marginalised in the parlamentary same and the public media.
The priority will shift to campaigns on single issues and the parliamentary strength will. give support and inspiration to extraparliamentary moveled-Green Lines", fortnightl membership paper of the Red-Green Alliance.