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The Danish People's Party ( and Nationalist political party in Denmark . In the 2005 Parliamentary Elections , it took 24 seats out of 179 (an increase of 2 seats), on 13.3% of the vote, making it the third largest party in Denmark. As of 2006 , the party is the third-most popular party in Denmark, following the Social Democrats . Its chairwoman is Pia Kjærsgaard . In the European Parliament its single MEP ( Mogens Camre ) sits as a member of the Union For A Europe Of Nations grouping. HISTORY The party was founded on October 6 , 1995 , after Pia Kjærsgaard , Kristian Thulesen Dahl , Poul Nødgaard and Ole Donner left the Progress Party . The party made its electoral debut in the 1998 Danish Parliamentary Election winning 13 seats. Later, in a dramatic Election in 2001 they won 22 seats. They became the third largest party in the Parliament and supported the Conservative-Liberal coalition government, headed by Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen , in exchange for the implementation of some of their key demands such as strong anti-immigration policies. In 2006, the party's popularity rose dramatically in Opinion Polls following the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad Cartoons Controversy , at the expense of Social Democrats POLITICS The party's main politics are:
The cooperation with the Conservative-Liberal coalition government resulted in the implementation of some of their key demands, such as strong anti-immigration policies resulting in what has been described as Europe's strictest immigration laws. The new government enacted rules that forbade Danish citizens bringing a foreign spouse into the country unless both partners were aged 24 or over, passed a solvency test showing the Dane had not claimed social security for 12 months and had to lodge a bond of 55,241 kroner (about 9300 USD). These new rules had the effect that while about 8,151 family reunification permits were granted in 2002, the number had fallen to 3,525 by 2005. [http://www.udlst.dk/NR/rdonlyres/e6kr3ge46gzp36obsg2kgvmes7ahj4lqrpgowevsclj553ug6cemmug5c5ldnb7lajjb7cjiqfyi2g5gwjhzzuemkae/Jan+-+feb+2006.xls Some social benefits for refugees were also cut by 30% to 40% during their first seven years in the country. The changes to Denmarks immigration laws, have drawn some criticism from the Swedish government, United Nations High Commissioner For Refugees and the Council Of Europe 's human rights commissioner. In a response to the criticism from the Swedish government Pia Kjaersgaard said: "If they want to turn Stockholm, Gothenburg or Malmoe into a Scandinavian Beirut, with clan wars, honour killings and gang rapes, let them do it. We can always put a barrier on the Oeresund Bridge." {Link without Title} CONTROVERSY The party has been part of controversy, especially because of their critical position towards, and arguments against, immigration, immigrants and Muslims. Among others from the party, the party leader, Pia Kjærsgaard, has been accused of Racism several times.[http://www.hamlet2002.org/quotes.htm In 2003, Pia Kjærsgaard lost a libel suit in the Danish Supreme Court against a political opponent who had characterized her viewpoints as racist.[http://www.cphpost.dk/get/66828.html] councils have voted, revealing some cut-backs on welfare. A party spokesman, Søren Krarup, has said that ''“Muslim immigration is a way for Muslims to conquer us, just as they have done 1,400 years past.”'' According to Le Monde of December 11 , 2005 , an imam requested the censure of a Danish People’s Party deputy who, speaking in Parliament, drew a comparison between Muslim women who wear headscarves and bikers who sport swastikas. (from UN report E/CN.4/2006/17 ) QUOTES
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