The Danish Social Democrats's fight for power
Polls suggest the Social Democrats have good chances of winning the parliamentary elections in Denmark next Wednesday and replacing the conservative government. The question is whether they will be able to govern alone or have to seek coalition partners on the left of the political spectrum, because the Social Democrats' election campaign has not been without fault, commentators note.
Making right-wing populists superfluous
The Social Democrats will win the election, but at what cost? Aftonbladet wonders, worried by the shift to the right in Denmark:
“In a country where right-wing populists have managed to shape the debate to such an extent that even the Social Democrats adopt their policies, one has to ask who the real losers are. The Danish People's Party is not just dumb - it's superfluous. The only hope now lies in the negotiating skills of the parties with whom the Social Democrats may work together. The Danes are moving to the left [according to the results of the EU elections]. After decades of agitating against immigration perhaps it's time the politicians moved as well.”
Distrust among comrades
The Social Democrats are trying to secure a victory through internal party censorship, Jyllands-Posten observes:
“On behalf of the party leadership the chair of the Social Democratic group in the parliament, Henrik Sass Larsen, sent an email to all MPs telling them that 'all press inquiries to Christiansborg [the seat of the parliament] must be coordinated'. ... It's easy to see through this tactic: The party leadership is extremely worried that any comments in this final stage of the election campaign could narrow the party's lead in the polls. It's so intent on coming into power at any cost that it even distrusts its own MPs.”