Danish PM calls election for June 5, immigration in focus

Denmark's centre-right prime minister, currently governing with the support of an anti-immigration party, on Tuesday called a general election for June 5, with the left-wing opposition leading opinion polls.

"I want to use all of my strength, my capabilities and my experience to continue to lead Denmark. And I ask Danes to re-elect me in the legislative elections to be held on June 5," Lars Lokke Rasmussen said in parliament.

The latest opinion polls credit the opposition left-wing bloc, headed by the Social Democrats, with 54 per cent of voter support, compared to 46 percent for Rasmussen and his right-wing bloc.

Rasmussen was required to hold legislative elections at the latest by June 17 when his four-year term ends.

The right-wing has struggled in the polls as Danes clamour for a change and, more importantly, amid an erosion of support for the far-right Danish People's Party. Its longstanding anti-immigration line has been broadly adopted by most political parties across the board in recent years, including the Social Democrats.

Observers suggest that if the Social Democrats were to emerge as the biggest party, they would likely form a minority government that would cooperate with the right-wing bloc on immigration issues and with the left on other questions.