Denmark – New coalition prepares Green Christmas present

Le Nouveau gouvernement prépare un cadeau de Noël vert

F Villy Soevndal, la tête de liste du Parti Socialiste Populaire (SF), est le nouveau ministre d’Affaires étrangères dans le premier gouvernement danois dirigé par une femme. La nouvelle coalition de la social-démocrate Helle Thorning-Schmidt est la première nouvelle de gauche depuis des années, and la plus jeune que le pays a jamais eu.

SF, which is observer to the European Greens,  will be garnering six ministries in the 23-member cabinet.  Thor M Pedersen, at 26 the youngest cabinet member yet and in charge of Taxation, is one of six ministers under 33 years.

The new government, which has to rely on the support of the leftist Unity List to gain a majority, will boost public investments to stimulate Scandinavia’s worst-performing economy. It has committed itself to the industrial world’s most ambitious strategy to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. It will cut greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent compared to the 1990 level, invest heavily in windmills to ensure half of the Denmark’s electricity originates from wind power in 2020, boost public transport and introduce a congestion tax for the Copenhagen ring road.

Climate and Energy minister Mark Lidegaart (Social Liberals), former leader of Denmark’s Green think tank Concito , is determined to pass energy reform legislation before the end of the year, according to Digital Journal, to “give the country a Christmas present” that sets the agenda and establishes the long-term parameters for public and private investment to fuel a new industrial green revolution.

The coalition will ease the previous administration’s immigration laws by removing measures like a point system used to determine foreigners’ eligibility to gain residence. It won’t introduce the controversial tightened customs checks announced by the former centre-right minority government.

Six SF ministers, from left to right: Thor Pedersen, Taxation; Ida Auken, Environment; Pia Olsen Dyhr, Trade and Investment; Villy Søvndal, foreign affairs; Ole Sohn, Growth and Business Affairs; Astrid Krag, Health.

Other measures include a 1,35 billion Euro of public investments to boost the economy, and the easing of a cap on unemployment benefits. Measures especially welcomed by SF are the expansion of health care services, including a rapid treatment of cancer and other life threatening diseases; a financial boost of the Danish educational system; a decent treatment of asylum seekers; and the fast abolishment of endocrine disruptors and harmful chemicals in food and toys.