DANISH POLITICS (3)

The Danish Government's popularity is in freefall. Last autumn it was the Socialists who found that changing their leader was not the answer. Now, however, the sickness is affecting the Social Democrats, the party of Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt. After a series of spring packages that were decidedly un-social democratic, the effect on the population can be measured.

The latest Gallup poll shows support for the Social Democrats, the traditional Danish party of Government, on just 17.1%, which is eight percentage points lower than their general election result in the autumn of 2011. You have to go back to the general election of 1898, in the days before opinion polls, to find such a low figure.

In one sense, opinion polls between elections are irrelevant, what matters is the result. However, this is a minority coalition Government, which can only get measures passed with the support of the former communist Enhedslisten. Their support was put at 12.5%, the highest figure ever. Enhedslisten are more than upset about the right-wing element in the packages, so how long before they decide to down the Government? The obvious time is during the discussions over next year's budget. Watch this space.

Walter Blotscher