Denmarks cartoons. Reaping the whirlwind

Date: 18/02/06

Denmark's cartoon crisis has one clear beneficiary--the far right

AS DENMARK reels from boycotts and global protests over its irreverent cartoons, it is hard to believe there is any Dane who takes any satisfaction from the affair. But there have been political winners--the Danish People's Party, an anti-immigration movement, and its leader, Pia Kjaersgaard, the doyenne of Danish nationalism.

The sound of civilisations clashing has given a boost to this xenophobic movement. Last week, a survey published by PLS Ramboll, a pollster, gave the DPP 17.8% of the vote, up from 13.3% in last year's general election. While denying any intention to exploit the crisis, the party reports a surge in membership applications.

If sustained, the DPP's new popularity could give the party a leg up into power. It is not a formal member of Anders Fogh Rasmussen's centre-right administration, but it has backed the government since 2001. After the next election, it may be hard to keep the party out of government.

Mr Fogh Rasmussen himself is riding high at home, even as his effigy is burned in Muslim states. His Liberal Party is steady in the polls and support for the informal government-DPP link has increased to 55.5% from 52.6%. Several moves to blame Mr Fogh Rasmussen for the crisis have failed. He has been criticised for refusing to meet a group of 11 Muslim ambassadors in October; and leftist politicians rebuked him this week for claiming that the group got an audience with the foreign minister instead. In fact, eight of the ambassadors did talk to the foreign minister in November, but not about the cartoons. Critics said the prime minister had misled the world, but Mr Fogh Rasmussen fended them off. Per Stig Moller, the foreign minister, took the rap, saying he "slipped up" by misinforming the prime minister's office.

Mr Fogh Rasmussen also parried attempts to link the crisis to his tight immigration policy. "Immigration policy is not behind this, we treat foreigners properly. This is a very open, very tolerant society," he insists. To drive home the point, he held a meeting this week with the Democratic Muslims, a new, moderate group. But his tactics may yet backfire. Naser Khader, the Democratic Muslims' founder, is also a leader of the opposition Social Liberals. Mr Khader is widely admired these days as a constructive player in inter-religious relations. If that admiration filters down to the Social Liberals, Mr Fogh Rasmussen will no longer look so untouchable.

Denmark's cartoon crisis has one clear beneficiary - the far right