DENMARK is opening polling stations across the country on Wednesday, June 5. Denmark is currently governed by a three-party coalition: Venstre, Liberal Alliance and the Conservative People’s Party. The coalition relies on support from the right-wing Danish People’s Party (DPP). But predictions seem to suggest there might be some stark changes about to hit the country.
What are polls showing?
Denmark’s centre-left Social Democrats party is set to win the election this week after backing once far-right policies related to immigration.
A poll this weekend predicted the centre-left party, led by Social Democrat leader Mette Frederiksen, will be the country’s largest with a vote share of around 27 percent after the election on Wednesday.
How have they gained support?
The results are a sign of the success of hardline stance on policies, the party tacking left on welfare and right on immigration.
The projected results follow the adoption by Denmark’s mainstream parties of hardline anti-immigration policies previously the preserve of the far right, which immigrants and human rights campaigners believe have led to a rise in racist abuse and discrimination.
Rasmussen’s Liberal Party and the Social Democrats have both been widely criticised for backing immigration initiatives, with each leader arguing that Denmark’s generous welfare system needs to be protected and to integrate migrants and refugees already in the country.
But discrimination incidents are up with the number of reported racially or religiously motivated hate crimes registered by Danish police having surged to 365 in 2017 from 228 the year before.
Polls suggest, that the centre-left party’s tough stance swayed some voters to switch their support back from the populist DPP, which also faces a stiff challenge from two new small far-right parties, including Stram Kurs, which wants Islam to be banned and Muslims deported.
The Social Democrats also won support by promising to increase public spending.
Danes have expressed anger at what many consider to be the gradual erosion of the welfare state.
Cuts to healthcare services have led to the closure of one-quarter of state hospitals in the past decade.
Other cuts over the past 10 years have led to the closure of about one-fifth of state schools.
Ms Frederiksen has promised to raise public and welfare spending by 0.8 percent a year over the next five years, by increasing taxation for businesses and the wealthy and partially rolling back some recent pension changes.
When will the results be announced?
According to the Danish Parliament website, the votes will be counted as soon as the polling stations close on Wednesday.
The 175 seats will then be distributed.
Seats in the Danish Parliament are distributed in accordance proportional representation which guarantees that political parties gain seats in the Danish Parliament in proportion to the number of votes cast for them throughout the country.
For example, if a party wins 10 percent of the votes, it must also have 10 percent of the seats in the Parliament.