Nationalist leader says Danish identity under threat from Muslim immigrants
COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Raving xenophobe or fearless defender of Danish values Nationalist leader Pia Kjaersgaard's anti-Muslim outbursts have earned her many labels – and many votes. Despite predictions of her populist Danish People's Party's demise, Kjaersgaard remains a powerful force in domestic politics after winning 14 percent of the vote in last week's election.
"The most important thing for the Danish People's Party is to maintain the Danish identity," Kjaersgaard, 60, told The Associated Press in an interview. "I am convinced that the Islamists want to sneak Sharia (Islamic law) through the back door, that they want to combat Western society and they want Islam to become the main religion," she said.
But critics say the Danish People's Party has polarized Danish society by bashing Islam and stereotyping immigrants as welfare cheats. "She is a scare-mongering populist and opportunist," said Holger K. Nielsen of the left-wing opposition Socialist People's Party.
She rejects accusations of racism and comparisons to far-right parties across Europe such as the National Front in France. "There is nothing racist about what I have said, I know that. I have a clean conscience," she said. When asked if she thought Islam can contribute to Danish society in any way, she replied: "I don't think so at all."
Martin Sullivan