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Over 40 percent of Danes say Løkke should be “less accommodating” towards Trump

Lucie Rychla
March 30th, 2017


This article is more than 7 years old.

Danish prime minister, however, said he wishes to “first and foremost have a good meeting”

Rasmussen is only the fourth European leader to officially meet Trump during his presidency (photo: Cezary p)

Ahead of today’s meeting between Danish PM Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Donald Trump, nearly every second Dane says Denmark’s official policy towards the US president should be tougher.

A survey carried out by Megafon for TV2 has found that 42 percent of Danes wished Denmark’s official policy towards the 45th president of the United States was either ‘less accommodating’ or ‘much less accommodating’.

Some 46 percent could not decide what was better, and only 8 percent said the Danish approach should be ‘more accommodating’.

READ MORE: Coming up Trumps: PM to meet with The Donald

Good conversation
Judging by Rasmussen’s statement at a press conference in Washington DC yesterday, the Danish PM will keep things amicable.

“First and foremost I want to have a good meeting tomorrow in a good atmosphere that will allow me to keep in touch with the US president,” said Rasmussen.

“I had a good telephone conversation with him in November, and I think that is one of the reasons why I am here so soon after he was inaugurated.”

Rasmussen is only the fourth European leader to officially meet Trump during his presidency, following UK PM Theresa May, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Irish PM Enda Kenny.

READ MORE: Minister visits Washington DC to discuss fight against IS

Special anniversary
“For a small country like Denmark it is important to keep on good terms with the United States, which to a high degree guarantees Denmark’s security,” analyst Mirco Reimer-Elster told TV2.

According to Venstre’s spokesperson for foreign affairs, the two leaders will, among other things, discuss expanding bilateral economic ties as well as enhancing the countries’ defence and security co-operation.

White House spokesperson Sean Spicer further noted that Løkke’s visit coincides with the 100th anniversary of Denmark formally ceding the US Virgin Islands to the United States.


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A survey carried out by Megafon for TV2 has found that 71 percent of parents have handed over children to daycare in spite of them being sick.

Moreover, 21 percent of those surveyed admitted to medicating their kids with paracetamol, such as Panodil, before sending them to school.

The FOLA parents’ organisation is shocked by the findings.

“I think it is absolutely crazy. It simply cannot be that a child goes to school sick and plays with lots of other children. Then we are faced with the fact that they will infect the whole institution,” said FOLA chair Signe Nielsen.

Pill pushers
At the Børnehuset daycare institution in Silkeborg a meeting was called where parents were implored not to bring their sick children to school.

At Børnehuset there are fears that parents prefer to pack their kids off with a pill without informing teachers.

“We occasionally have children who that they have had a pill for breakfast,” said headteacher Susanne Bødker. “You might think that it is a Panodil more than a vitamin pill, if it is a child who has just been sick, for example.”

Parents sick and tired
Parents, when confronted, often cite pressure at work as a reason for not being able to stay at home with their children.

Many declare that they simply cannot take another day off, as they are afraid of being fired.

Allan Randrup Thomsen, a professor of virology at KU, has heavily criticised the parents’ actions, describing the current situation as a “vicious circle”.

“It promotes the spread of viruses, and it adds momentum to a cycle where parents are pressured by high levels of sick-leave. If they then choose to send the children to daycare while they are still recovering, they keep the epidemic going in daycares, and this in turn puts a greater burden on the parents.”