Red in front | The class struggle
LEADER: The left-wing party in Denmark, especially the Social Democracy, is leading in the polls. However, many Danish voters do not make up their minds before the actual election day.
With two weeks left until the election, red bloc has taken the lead in the Danish election campaign, but it is hardly even between the blocs.
On Voxmeter on Sunday, the left side had a support of 48.5 percent, while the right side was at 45.3 percent. The Moderates, the new party of former Liberal Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, have declared themselves non-bloc independent. Now the party is on the verge of falling, with 6.1 percent of the vote.
Even when Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called for new elections on 5 October, it was hardly even between the blocs.
Waiting for economic policy
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen can be happy about measurements which show that she is still the most popular candidate for prime minister.
On the bourgeois side, where both Jakob Ellemann-Jensen and Søren Pape Poulsen want to become prime minister, it is Elleman who is the most popular.
– A lot can still happen before the election on 1 November, but it is clear that most Danes will continue to have Frederiksen as prime minister, says Erik Holstein to Klassekampen on the phone from Copenhagen.
He is a political commentator on the Danish news website Altinget and follows the election campaign closely.
He thinks there are several reasons why red blocs, and especially Frederiksen’s party Social Democracy, which now stands at 26.1 percent, are doing so well.
– She started the election campaign strongly by setting an agenda she wants, he says and adds:
– For many voters, I think it’s about security, and in a time with several crises and inflation now, she stands strong.
In the opinion polls, the Radical Left is far behind. Enhedslisten is also going backwards a bit, while the Socialist People’s Party is doing well and has made some progress.
– It is the Radical Liberals who are in crisis now, comments Holstein.
According to DR, the Moderates have taken the most votes from the party.
Holstein does not rule out that the bourgeois will continue to increase support as they put forward more economic policies. The Conservatives, who are also increasing somewhat in the polls, have already put forward a 2030 plan which involves paying taxes with 40 million, in addition to an abolished top tax and inheritance tax.
Book for trouble?
In the middle of the election campaign, there has also been a book from Denmark’s suspended intelligence chief Lars Findsen, who is accused of leaking state secrets. In the book, he comes out hard against, among other things, the Danish surveillance police (PET).
“Most Danes will continue to have Frederiksen as prime minister”
— ERIK HOLSTEIN, POLITICAL COMMENTATOR IN THE PARLIAMENT
– This is annoying for the government when it comes out at such a time, says Holstein.
For the time being, most politicians are afraid that they cannot comment on the book. The trial has not started yet.
It is quite possible that more accusations and criticisms against the Frederiksen government and other politicians from the red bloc will appear before the election. However, Holstein believes that it will mean little to Danish voters when they go to vote.
Decide on the day
Around a third of Danes do not decide who to vote for before the actual election day, according to Politiken. Holstein believes there are more people who are unsure who to vote for this year, with as many as 14 parties to choose from.
Several of the traditional parties, especially the Left, have gone through their own political crises.
– The election campaign has taken on greater significance even earlier, with a number of new parties and turbulent times.
Holstein points out that Frederiksen has an obvious Achilles heel:
– It can be difficult for her, who stands in the red bloc and argues against the other parties in the blue bloc, when she wants to cooperate with both sides, he says further.
Even if the red bloc led by Frederiksen’s party should win the election, she will probably have to seek support from bourgeois parties. Frederiksen participated in a broad coalition government after the election.