In Denmark´s elections, the far right fell and socially-conscious parties surged. Let´s hope it´s a litmus test for EuropeThe Social Democrats´ electoral victory in Denmark was by no means surprising, and in many ways feels like the regular cycle of politics. Yet the result, which saw the coalition of leftwing parties win 52.1% of the vote compared with 41% for their rightwing adversaries, embodies a series of developments with a wider significance for Europe as a whole.Once the result of Wednesday´s elections was known, the Social Democrat leader, Mette Frederiksen, reiterated two of her party´s key electoral promises - that they want to put welfare back at the centre of the Danish model, and that they will place strict controls on refugees and asylum seekers. That last position has become common globally, and within Frederiksen´s party it was seen as a pragmatic necessity if they were to win votes from what had been, back in the 2015 election, Denmark´s second largest party - the Danish People´s party (DPP). Related: Centre-left Social Democrats victorious in Denmark elections Continue reading...
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