Friday 23 September 2011

Denmark's Liberal BOGOF*

The headlines in this country may have proclaimed yet another Scandinavian female prime minister - and then probably just because she is married to a Kinnock - but the following posting from Liberal International reminded me that Denmark has two fully-accredited Liberal parties.

More seats for liberals in Danish parliament

Both LI member parties in Denmark achieved excellent electoral support in last week's parliamentary elections. LI full-member Venstre, led by outgoing Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen remained the largest party, increasing their share of seats to 47 in total, whereas LI full-member Radikale Venstre reached its best electoral result in 38 years, increasing their number of seats from 9 to 17. Although remaining the single largest party, Lokke Rasmussen's Venstre is likely to lead the opposition while social democratic Helle Thorning-Schmidt, supported by Radikale Venstre, is set to become Denmark's first female prime minister - despite her own party's electoral defeat. In a statement Lokke Rasmussen assured Venstre's supporters that the party will keep pushing for a strong reform program and leave ‘a significant political footprint'. Radikale Venstre's leader Margrethe Vestager, expected to take a seat in the next government, said her party is ready to ‘take responsibility'. Negotiations for appointing the new cabinet will begin in October, until which Lokke Rasmussen's cabinet will remain in office as a caretaker government.


(*Buy one, get one free)


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