#EU: Populist Parties Form "European Alliance of Peoples and Nations" Group To Contest EU Elections

[world politics news]

Italy’s Matteo Salvini has formally launched his much-anticipated bid to unite European right-leaning populist parties ahead of EU elections in May. "We want to reform Europe," he declared during a press conference at a swanky hotel in central Milan. "For many people, the EU is a nightmare, not a dream," said the Italian interior minister and deputy prime minister.

Salvini's League Party in Italy has teamed up with Germany's populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, whose leader and currently the group’s only Member of the European Parliament, Jörg Meuthen was by his side. Also at the table were representatives from the Danish People's Party and the Finns Party of Finland, who are for now the only other confirmed members. The new group will be called European Alliance of Peoples and Nations (EAPN), Meuthen said, and is open to "anyone for whom conservatism and patriotism are important."

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#DENMARK: Member of Parliament Scolded For Bringing Her Child Into Chambers

[world politics news]

A Danish politician has been ejected from parliament for bringing her five-month-old daughter into the chamber.

“You are not welcome with your baby in the parliament’s chamber,” Pia Kjaersgaard, the speaker who is a former leader of the Danish People’s Party, reportedly told Mette Abildgaard.

The Conservative MP explained it was the first time she had brought her daughter to work, as the baby’s father could not step in to look after her.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#DENMARK: New Citizens To Be Required To Shake Hands With Female Mayors (Including Muslim Citizens)

[world politics news]

New rules require people who have been awarded Danish citizenship to shake hands when they tak part in citizenship ceremonies. The rule, supported by the Conservative and Danish People's Party, as well as Social Democrats, is said to be squarely aimed at Muslims, many of whom don't shake hands, especially with women. Participants are also required to sign a document promising to respect Danish values.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ICELAND: Parties Walk Out Of Speech Given By Danish Parliament Speaker, Member Of Danish Anti-Immigrant Party

[world politics news]

Members of the Social Democratic and Pirate Parties walked out and boycotted a speech given to members of the Icelandic Parliament by the speaker of the Danish Parliament, on the anniversary of Iceland's independence from Denmark. Members said they were protesting the views of Pia Kjærsgaard, the former leader of the populist anti-immigration Danish People’s Party. Kkærsgaard gave the speech at the Thingvellir, a historic site and national park near Reykjavik that was the location of Iceland’s Althing parliament from the 10th to the 18th centuries. Iceland switched from home rule to full independence from Denmark in 1918.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#DENMARK: 7 Parties Seek To Block EuroSkeptics By Banning "Denexit" Referendum

[world politics news]

Three of Denmark's left-leaning political parties hope to unite all seven of the nation's pro-EU parties to prevent the euro-skeptic populists and Greens from ever holding a Brexit-style referendum in Denmark. Mainly, they want to prevent the Danish People's Party from forcing a party to agree to one as a condition for a coalition in the next election. The People's Party is riding high in the polls. The push is being led by Morten Østergaard, leader of the Social Liberal Party

[FULL STORY HERE]

Pictured: Morten Østergaard

#DENMARK: Left- And Right-Leaning Centrist Parties Could Unite To Topple PM's Liberals

[world politics news]

The Danish People’s Party and the Social Democrats have long resided within their respective ‘blocs’ in the national political makeup, with the People's Party being a member of the right-of-center blue bloc and the Social Democrats, the leading party of the left-of-center red bloc. An alliance between them - rumored more loudly after a joint interview recently with the party's two leaders - could unite the nation's centrists and freeze out Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen’s Venstre party. 

[FULL STORY HERE]

Pictured: The People's Party's Kristian Thulesen Dahl, left, and the Social Democrats' Mette Frederiksen

#DENMARK: Center-Right PM Invites Libertarians, Conservatives Into Government

[world politics news]

Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen has shored up his minority government by bringing in the libertarian-leaning Liberal Alliance and the Conservative People's Party. Rasmussen presented a 22-member cabinet that includes six posts for LA and three for the Conservatives. In the cabinet shuffle, number of high profile politicians swapped portfolio and a handful of veteran politicians were left without a job.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#DENMARK: Seeking Support For Budget, PM Invites 2 Ptys To Form 3-Way Coalition

[world politics news]

After months of wrangling over a budget, and a weak position for his own party, Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen has begun talks with leaders of the Liberal Alliance and the Conservatives to discuss the creation of a new three-party coalition government. Rasmussen's centre-right Liberal Party holds only 34 out of 179 seats in parliament and needs the support of the anti-immigration Danish People's Party, the libertarian-leaning Liberal Alliance and the Conservatives to govern.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#DENMARK: Member of Parliament Suggests Trump-Like Muslim Immigration Ban

[world politics news]

A high-ranking Danish People’s Party MP has proposed a ban all immigration from ‘Muslim countries’ for a period of 4-6 years. MP Søren Espersen of the Danish People’s Party (DF) proposed that a ban on immigration from Muslim countries was needed until “we have gotten a handle on our future efforts” in combating Islamic extremism in Denmark. The proposal has been likened by some critics to the one made by US presidential candidate Donald Trump

#DENMARK: Coalition Budget Boosts Healthcare Spending, Cuts Environment And Education Funding

[world politics news]

The Liberal Party (Venstre,) the Danish People’s Party, Liberal Alliance and the Conservatives have reached an agreement on the 2016 budget, which spends more on healthcare for the elderly, but cuts education and environmental spending. Car buyers get a drastic cut in registration fees under the proposal.

Pictured: Finance Minister Claus Hjort Frederiksen.

#DENMARK: Head Of Anti-Immigrant Party Threatens To Pull Out Of Coalition If Gov't Compromises On Immigration Numbers

[world politics news]

The anti-immigration Danish People’s Party has threatened to pull its essential support of the Venstre government if PM Lars Løkke Rasmussen accepts an overture from the Social Democrats to compromise on his anti-migrant stance, and accept more Syrian migrants into Denmark.

Pictured: Danish People's Party spokesman Søren Espersen.

#DENMARK: Prompted By Wave Of Migrants, New Law Aims To Discourage Immigrants By Cutting Benefits

[world politics news]

As of Sept. 1, a new law cuts benefits to newly arrived immigrants by 45%, aimed at discouraging immigration into Denmark. The legislation, drafted by the new center-right minority Liberal government, was prompted by the popularity of the anti-immigration Danish People's Party.

#DENMARK: New Populist Gov't To Start "Border Controls" To Reduce Smuggling, Immigration

[world politics news]

While stopping short of re-instituting physical borders, which would violate EU rules on the free movement of peoples within the Union, the Danish government, spurred by the Danish People's Party, will begin increased controls at the border after talks with the EU. The controls are aimed at reducing smuggling and illegal immigration.