2008-01-22

Scandinavian Politics: Danish parliamentary cliffhanger

Dear all on the Scandinavian Poltiics list,

There's an interesting parliamentary situation developing in Denmark.

You'll recall that the incumbent coalition government of the Liberal and Conservative parties, supported by the far-right Danish People's Party, scraped back into office in November's election. But its slim one-seat majority is now under threat over the treatment of asylum-seekers.

Two things have put the government's majority in danger on this question. One was the post-election decision of a former Conservative Party leader, Pia Christmas-Møller, to leave the party's parliamentary group and sit as an independent. Indeed, it is Christmas-Møller who has tabled an amendment to the government's policy proposal (her amendment would allow asylum-seeking famlilies whose applications had been rejected, but whose homelands are too dangerous to send them back to, to live away from special accommodation centres sooner). The second development is the decision by the two MPs from Greenland to back this amendment, rather than maintaining their customary reluctance to get involved in Danish domestic politics.

The result is that the government could well lose the vote in parliament tomorrow. That does not necessarily mean that it will fall; it could simply choose not to interpret the issue as one of confidence. Formally, it is even entitled to ignore the decision. But there's already speculation that the Liberal prime minister, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, might even be tempted to call a snap election. This sounds drastic. But with the Social Democrats experiencing yet another round of infighting (leading party figures from Copenhagen launched a left-leaning discussion group last week), and with Christmas-Møller and the five New Alliance MPs almost certain to lose their seats, it might just be a tempting prospect for the government.

Tomorrow's parliamentary vote will be worth watching.

Best,

Nick Aylott.
--
Dr Nicholas Aylott, senior lecturer (docent) in political science
School of Social Sciences, Södertörn University College
SE-141 89 Huddinge, Sweden
www.sh.se/samhallsvetenskaper

2008-01-15

Scandinavian Politics: review of 2007

Hej to all on the Scandinavian Politics list,

Mary Hilson of University College London (m.hilson@ucl.ac.uk) has kindly offered members of the list an exclusive preview of her summary of Nordic politics in 2007, which she's compiled for the Annual Register (a journal that, according to its website, "began publication in 1758...[and]...is now published by Longmans").

Mary writes that the Register's editor "has agreed that I can circulate this to the list, as long as it is made clear that this is appearing in the Annual Register and that it should not be quoted or cited without permission." Mary also says that she would welcome "any comments on content, accuracy, etc".

I attach the entry.

Best,

Nick Aylott.
--
Dr Nicholas Aylott, senior lecturer (docent) in political science
School of Social Sciences, Södertörn University College
SE-141 89 Huddinge, Sweden
www.sh.se/statsvetenskap

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