New Prime Minister in Denmark

Denmark has a new Prime Minister today, the Social Democratic Party leader Helle Thorning-Schmidt. With economic fears trumping the immigration concerns that have kept the conservative Liberal Party in power for the past ten years, Ms. Thorning-Schmidt's coalition won control of Parliament by an unexpectedly tight margin of 89 seats to 86. 

The British press is fascinated by the fact that she is married to the son of former UK Labour leader Neil Kinnock, and works this into the first paragraph, if not the headline, of every story about her. In the confusing language of politics, she is on the right wing of her left-wing party, so this is a victory for the center-left rather than the hard-left. Opponents attempted to brand her as too posh, a champagne socialist with extravagant tastes and no real feeling for the common man, nicknaming her "Gucci Helle", but ultimately she has prevailed- and won herself a very tough job as the European economy is forecast to grind to a halt in the months to come. 

She is expected to work with her French and German counterparts for greater integration within the European Union, to soften the austerity policies of the previous government, and to de-emphasise contentious issues surrounding immigration. Good luck to her, and to Denmark: beginnings should always be a time of hope and good will.

New Danish PM Helle Thorning-Schmidt