Niels Krause-Kjær, author and journalist, interviewed Villy Søvndal (SF)
Now is the time to kick back and put your tongue in your cheek. During the Danish Media Festival on Sunday Niels Krause-Kjær - an author and journalist with a background from two of the Danish schools of journalism, political advisor for The Conservatives among other things - interviewed Villy Søvndal, leader of The Socialist People's Party. This was not so much an interview as it was an ironic event, stressed by the fact that the interviewer initiated the session by sitting back in a lounge chair and removing his leather shoes - in change for some footwear of a very fuzzy nature.
Speaking of fuzzy nature, Mr. Søvndal (SF) did what he does best: delivered his tongue-in-cheek remarks about everything and everyone in Danish politics. Shooting in all directions from the hip he criticized everybody from Naser Khader, leader of Liberal Alliance (Y), being an example of a political figure not working. To Lene Espersen, leader of The Conservatives (C) for her responsibility for the much talked about police reform. To The Danish Social Liberal Party (R) for not wanting to play with them, having difficulty in finding their direction.
And finally to the prime minister, Anders Fogh Rasmussen (V) for being polemic. Further to what Villy Søvndal calls his team of Greenland sledge dogs - referring to uncritical political journalists:
'They all run in the same direction. Some of them are so wise that they don't even have to talk to you to know what you're thinking.'
On a more serious note, like Helle Thorning-Schmidt (S) he did point to a growing mismatch between the media and the power of the state.
'The mismatch in the press, where there is no longer time to dig and to investigate the power of the state, has grown. It deserves a major study at some point in time,' Mr. Søvndal elaborated.
As for the political agenda of The Socialists, he wanted to settle with the central myths that they are not economically responsible and don't want to co-operate. They are preparing the political agenda for the upcoming elections for the European Parliament next summer and for the November 2009 municipal election - and another EU election whenever that might be.
'We advanced at the last election, and we intend to do that again. We have no interest in culminating now,' Villy Søvndal projected. Fuzzy and progressive at the same time.
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
Speaking of fuzzy nature, Mr. Søvndal (SF) did what he does best: delivered his tongue-in-cheek remarks about everything and everyone in Danish politics. Shooting in all directions from the hip he criticized everybody from Naser Khader, leader of Liberal Alliance (Y), being an example of a political figure not working. To Lene Espersen, leader of The Conservatives (C) for her responsibility for the much talked about police reform. To The Danish Social Liberal Party (R) for not wanting to play with them, having difficulty in finding their direction.
And finally to the prime minister, Anders Fogh Rasmussen (V) for being polemic. Further to what Villy Søvndal calls his team of Greenland sledge dogs - referring to uncritical political journalists:
'They all run in the same direction. Some of them are so wise that they don't even have to talk to you to know what you're thinking.'
On a more serious note, like Helle Thorning-Schmidt (S) he did point to a growing mismatch between the media and the power of the state.
'The mismatch in the press, where there is no longer time to dig and to investigate the power of the state, has grown. It deserves a major study at some point in time,' Mr. Søvndal elaborated.
As for the political agenda of The Socialists, he wanted to settle with the central myths that they are not economically responsible and don't want to co-operate. They are preparing the political agenda for the upcoming elections for the European Parliament next summer and for the November 2009 municipal election - and another EU election whenever that might be.
'We advanced at the last election, and we intend to do that again. We have no interest in culminating now,' Villy Søvndal projected. Fuzzy and progressive at the same time.
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