| Pia Merete Kjærsgaard | |
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Leader of the Danish People's Party
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| Assumed office October 6th 1995 |
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Member of Parliament
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| Assumed office 10 January 1984 |
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| Born | February 23, 1947 Copenhagen, Denmark |
| Political party | Danish People's Party, formerly Progress Party |
Pia Merete Kjærsgaard (Danish pronunciation: [⁽ˈ⁾pʰi(ː)æ ˈkʰɛɐ̯ˀsɡ̊ɒːˀ]; born February 23, 1947) is a Danish politician. She is a co-founder and current leader of the Danish People's Party ("Dansk Folkeparti") a Danish nationalist/nativist political party. She has become one of the best known politicians in Denmark during recent years, partly for her unwavering anti-immigration stance and partly for her parliamentary support for the center-right governments of Anders Fogh Rasmussen and Lars Løkke Rasmussen since 2001.
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Background
Kjærsgaard was born in Copenhagen, to Poul Kjærsgaard, a dealer in paint, and Inge Munch Jensen, a housewife. After completing Danish Folkeskole Education in 1963, she attended the Commercial School in Copenhagen (1963-1965). From 1963 to 1967, she worked as a home care assistant for elders in Gentofte. From 1978 to 1984, she was employed as an office assistant in connection with insurance and advertising activities.[1]
Political career
Parliament
Kjærsgaard began her political career as the Progress Party's candidate in the Ryvang nomination district (1979–1981), followed by the Ballerup and Gladsaxe nomination district (1981-1983), the Hvidovre nomination district (1983–1984), and finally, the Middelfart nomination district (1984–1995).[1]
In 1984, while still with the Progress Party, she secured her first seat in the Folketing (Danish parliament), representing the Copenhagen County constituency (10 January 1984 – 8 September 1987). She next represented the Funen County constituency (8 September 1987 – 6 October 1995).[1]
In 1995, as things were growing increasingly chaotic and anarchic in the Progress Party, Kjærsgaard broke away to co-found the Danish People's Party (DPP). She stood as the DPP candidate in the Glostrup nomination district in 1997, followed by the Hellerup and Gentofte nomination district (1997-2005). As a DPP candidate, she won a seat in the Folketing, representing the Funen County constituency (6 October 1995 – 11 March 1998).[1]
As support for the Progress Party subsequently dwindled away, the DPP grew. By 2001, it had become the third largest party in the Folketing, securing 12% of the vote. In the 2005 election, the DPP's share grew to 13.2%, with Kjærsgaard receiving 38,347 "personal votes", second to only the Prime Minister, Anders Fogh Rasmussen.
The Danish People's Party
The Danish People's Party advocates a primarily nationalist and nativist platform[2], and is, in that regard, aligned ideologically with other European far right parties. The DPP's platform also includes toughening the criminal code and supporting social welfare policies[2] that have traditionally been championed by the center-left Social Democrats.
The DPP achieved considerable success in the 2001 elections, becoming the third largest party in the Folketing. As such they often work with the minority government led by Anders Fogh Rasmussen's Liberal Party. Using this partnership the DPP has been able to push through many of its policy platforms.
In both the 2005 and the 2007 election, the DPP maintained its position as third largest in the Folketing.
Views, positions, and goals
Kjærsgaard's most outspoken political goals are to limit immigration to Denmark, that society should take better care of the elderly, and that Denmark should maintain its sovereignty, especially with regards to the European Union. In the euro referendum she campaigned successfully against the adoption of the Euro.
Her view on immigration has often led to her being compared to politicians such as Jean-Marie Le Pen in France and Pim Fortuyn in The Netherlands.[3]
She is also known to be an ardent supporter of Taiwan's bid to gain admission to the World Health Organization and the United Nations [1]
Controversies and incidents
In 1998, Kjærsgaard was assaulted by members of an angry mob during a demonstration by the far left autonome movement in the Nørrebro district of Copenhagen.[4]
In 2001, Kjærsgaard, in the DPP's weekly newsletter, referred to Muslims as people who "...lie, cheat and deceive." Kjærsgaard was subsequently reported to the police by Denmark's Center for Racial Discrimination, for making racist remarks. Police declined to prosecute Kjærsgaard, stating that there was no reason to believe that her statement violated any laws regarding racism.[5]
In 2002, Kjærsgaard was fined DKK 3,000 for threatening a woman with pepper spray, the use of which is illegal in Denmark. Kjærsgaard said she pulled out the spray after feeling 'intimidated and threatened' by the woman's behaviour. Kjærsgaard subsequently proclaimed her intention to lobby for a change in weapon possession legislation.[6]
In 2003, Kjærsgaard lost a libel suit in the Danish Supreme Court against Karen Sunds, an anti-EU activist, who had characterized Kjærsgaard's viewpoints as racist. The Court ruled that Sunds' remarks had only implied that Kjærsgaard had a negative opinion of immigrants, and were not properly interpreted as an accusation of espousing biologically-grounded racism or Nazi racist theory.[7]
In 2007, at the opening of Folketinget, Kjærsgaard claimed to have been verbally assaulted and blamed Socialist People's Party's youth group (SFU) for the incident, and demanded an apology from Villy Søvndal (leader of the party). A video of the incident shows no sign of SFU, but a group from Socialistisk Ungdoms Front (Socialist Youth Front) singing songs and throwing confetti.[citation needed]
Quotes
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"The Social Security Act is passé because it was tailored to a Danish family tradition and work ethic and not to Muslims, for whom it is fair to be provided for by others while the wife gives birth to a lot of children. The child benefit grant is being taken advantage of, as an immigrant achieves a record income due to [having] just under a score of children. New punishment limits must be introduced for group rapes because the problem only arrived with the vandalism of the many anti-social second-generation immigrants." (Pia Kjærsgaard's weekly newsletter, 25 February 2002)[8]
See also
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Pia Kjærsgaard |
References
- ^ a b c d "Biography of Pia Kjærsgaard". Danish Parliament. http://www.folketinget.dk/BAGGRUND/Biografier_english/Pia_Kjaersgaard.htm. Retrieved 13 February 2009.
- ^ a b "Danish Peoples Party Program of Principles". Dansk Folkparti. http://www.danskfolkeparti.dk/Principprogram.asp. Retrieved 13 November 2008.
- ^ "“They Sometimes Go To Extremes”". TIME europe. May 6, 2002. http://www.time.com/time/europe/magazine/2002/0506/france/farright.html. Retrieved 2006-09-26.
- ^ "“Video tape must be surrendered”". The Copenhagen Post. May 21, 1998. http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:VJjlIKsuX3MJ:www.cphpost.dk/print.jsp%3Fo_id%3D55275+copenhagen+post%22video+tape+must+be+surrendered%22&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=us&client=firefox-a. Retrieved 2006-12-25.
- ^ "“Racist remark ok”". The Copenhagen Post. Jan 19, 2001. http://www.cphpost.dk/get/61284.html. Retrieved 2008-11-20.
- ^ "“MP fined”". The Copenhagen Post. March 3, 2003. http://www.cphpost.dk/get/66040.html. Retrieved 2006-09-26.
- ^ "“Racism ruling”". The Copenhagen Post. June 20, 2003. http://www.cphpost.dk/get/66828.html. Retrieved 2006-12-25.
- ^ (Danish) Få indvandrere ødelægger det for de mange
External links
- Biography of Pia Kjærsgaard at the Danish Folketing website (English)
- Official website of the Danish People's Party (Danish)
- Pia Kjærsgaard's homepage (Danish)
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