Denmark Gives New Mandate to Prime Minister

Early-election gamble yields third term for right-wing coalition
By Jason Farago,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 14, 2007 11:36 AM CST
Denmark Gives New Mandate to Prime Minister
Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen enters a celebration held in his honor Tuesday Nov. 13, 2007 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Fogh Rasmussen declared victory in Tuesday's election after near-complete results showed his center-right government defeated the left-wing opposition. (AP Photo/John McConnico)   (Associated Press)

Denmark's ruling coalition won a third term in government yesterday for right-leaning PM Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who called the election 15 months ahead of schedule, reports the Times of London. The party of Naser Khader, a Syrian-born legislator, did not win enough seats to force the ruling coalition to include it, but Rasmussen said today he might attempt to bring it into the government.

The Liberal Party—headed by Rasmussen, who drew worldwide notice in the furor following publication of cartoons of the Muslim prophet Mohammed—leads the coalition that has 90 of 179 parliamentary seats;  the leftist Social Democrats have 84. Officials say 86.5% of Denmark's 4 million voters came to the polls yesterday, with immigration, welfare, and taxes the campaign's central issues. (More Denmark stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X