Helle Thorning-Schmidt (S) interviewed by Troels Mylenberg, political reporter for Berlingske
On Sunday political reporter for the newspaper of Berlingske, Troels Mylenberg, interviewed the leader of The Social Democrats - Helle Thornings-Scmidt during the Danish Media Festival 2008. Not surprisingly he focused some of his questions on the potential position of Ms. Thorning-Schmidt as prime minister - thereby also being a minister for the press. She critisized a current massive use of spin doctors and information staff in the ministries.
'It is difficult to be in opposition, because we are about one in thousand compared to the employees in the ministries,' she said.
Then referring to the current prime minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen's (V) tradition of weekly US-inspired press meetings, by some seen as a form of information control. In her opinion the press should be left to do its job, and she would stay away from meddling.
'I will do it differently. I will make myself available and be accountable,' Helle Thorning-Schmidt promised the present journalists.
She even encouraged journalists to be more critical in general when it comes to political issues. And asked them to show,
’A little more memory and a little more accountability. To ask more critical questions, and to go one step deeper than today.’
'It is difficult to be in opposition, because we are about one in thousand compared to the employees in the ministries,' she said.
Then referring to the current prime minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen's (V) tradition of weekly US-inspired press meetings, by some seen as a form of information control. In her opinion the press should be left to do its job, and she would stay away from meddling.
'I will do it differently. I will make myself available and be accountable,' Helle Thorning-Schmidt promised the present journalists.
She even encouraged journalists to be more critical in general when it comes to political issues. And asked them to show,
’A little more memory and a little more accountability. To ask more critical questions, and to go one step deeper than today.’
Ms. Thorning-Schmidt stressed the importance of cross-parliamentary co-operation, and couldn't see the problem of working with The Socialist People's Party - among others. And as for the democratic climate:
'In particular the minister of finance has not been very good at including all sides in the parliament,' she noted in the aftermath of the current budget negociations for 2009, 'But I can't take the old battle of sixty-eight anymore. I prefer talking about the things that unite us than those that split us up,' she stressed. Not that easy being in opposition at all.
For a more elaborate overview of the political scene in Denmark, please see:
http://paradoxicalnews.blogspot.com/2008/10/cliff-notes-to-danish-politics.html