Pia Kjærsgaard

Infobox Officeholder
name = Pia Merete Kjærsgaard
order = Leader of the Danish People's Party
1995 - present
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successor = Incumbent
order2 = Member of Parliament
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birth_date = February 23, 1947
birth_place = Copenhagen
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Website = [http://www.piadf.dk/Forside.asp] |

Pia Merete Kjærsgaard (pronounced|⁽ˈ⁾pʰi(ː)æ ˈkʰjɛɐ̯ˀsg̊ɒːˀ; born February 23, 1947 in Copenhagen) is a Danish politician. She is a co-founder and current leader of the Danish People's Party, (" _da. Dansk Folkeparti"), a Danish nationalist political party. She is one of the most well-known political personas in Denmark in recent years, partly for her firm view on immigration politics and partly for her role as indispensable parliamentary support since 2001 for the centre right government led by Anders Fogh Rasmussen.

Background

Kjærsgaard was born in Copenhagen, to Poul Kjærsgaard, a paint dealer, and Inge Munch Jensen, a housewife.

After completion of Folkeskole 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. Next, from 1978 to 1984, she was employed as an office assistant in connection with insurance and advertising activities.

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).

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).

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).

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

Although the Danish People's Party is aligned ideologically with other European far right parties, with a nativist [ [http://www.danskfolkeparti.dk/sw/frontend/show.asp?parent=3293&menu_parent=&layout=0] ] as well as a toughness on crime platform, the party has also adopted some social policy issues traditionally belonging to 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 for the Danish Krone and against 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.cite web| date=May 6, 2002 | url= http://www.time.com/time/europe/magazine/2002/0506/france/farright.html | title= “They Sometimes Go To Extremes” | publisher= "TIME europe"| accessdate=2006-09-26 ]

Controversies and incidents

In 1998 Kjærsgaard escaped a physical assault by youths in Copenhagen.cite web| date=May 21, 1998 | url= http://www.cphpost.dk/get/55275.html| title= “Video tape must be surrendered” | publisher= "The Copenhagen Post" | accessdate=2006-12-25 ]

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.cite web| date=March 3, 2003 | url= http://www.cphpost.dk/get/66040.html| title= “MP fined” | publisher= "The Copenhagen Post" | accessdate=2006-09-26 ]

In 2003, Kjærsgaard lost a libel suit in the Danish Supreme Court against a political opponent who had characterized her viewpoints as racist. The opponent had used the word racist but did not mean it in the literal meaning of the word but did only use it to implied that Kjærsgaard have a negative opinion of immigrants.cite web| date=June 20, 2003 | url= http://www.cphpost.dk/get/66828.html| title= “Racism ruling” | publisher= "The Copenhagen Post" | accessdate=2006-12-25 ]

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 singing songs and throwing confetti.Fact|date=April 2008

ee also

* Politics of Denmark
* Danish People’s Party

Notes

References

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* [http://www.worldwhoswho.com/views/entry.html?id=kja-ed2-280301-1425 "Kjaersgaard, Pia"] . "International Who's Who". Retrieved on September 4, 2006.
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External links

* [http://www.danskfolkeparti.dk/sw/frontend/show.asp?parent=3293&menu_parent=&layout=0 Official Website of the Danish People's Party]
* [http://www.folketinget.dk/BAGGRUND/Biografier_english/Pia_Kjaersgaard.htm Biography of Pia Kjærsgaard at the Danish Folketing Website]