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Danish election: Exit polls suggest opposition bloc lead Danish election: Exit polls suggest opposition bloc lead
(35 minutes later)
Denmark's opposition parties will beat the ruling coalition after a close general election, exit polls suggest.Denmark's opposition parties will beat the ruling coalition after a close general election, exit polls suggest.
One poll gave a nine-seat lead to the centre-right group led by ex-PM Lars Lokke Rasmussen; another gave him a seven-seat lead over PM Helle Thorning-Schmidt's centre-left coalition. One poll gave a nine-seat lead to the centre-right group led by ex-PM Lars Lokke Rasmussen; another gave it a seven-seat lead over PM Helle Thorning-Schmidt's centre-left coalition.
But they canvassed only the Danish mainland, not accounting for four seats in Greenland and the Faroe Islands. The right-wing, anti-immigration Danish People's Party looks likely to become the second-largest party in parliament.
Either side would depend on other parties to form a coalition. They are now expected to join Mr Rasmussen's ruling coalition.
By 23:10 local time (21:10 GMT) more than 85% of votes had been counted. The DPP's leader Kristian Thulesen Dahl had previously (in Danish) poured cold water on the idea of going into government.
He told Denmark's Politiken he preferred "the little free bird role, which can make the Danish People's Party come closer to getting our policy through in the real world than you think".
But Mr Dahl could yet be in a position to make a bid to become prime minister.
By midnight local time (22:00 GMT) 99% of votes had been counted.
Results from four seats in Greenland and the Faroe Islands have yet to be included.
"As it looks now, it seems we have lost the election," said Carsten Hansen, a senior member of Ms Thorning-Schmidt's governing Social Democratic Party."As it looks now, it seems we have lost the election," said Carsten Hansen, a senior member of Ms Thorning-Schmidt's governing Social Democratic Party.
Denmark election: Close race for the status quo
The party had been staging a remarkable comeback in recent weeks as Danish finances improved.The party had been staging a remarkable comeback in recent weeks as Danish finances improved.
Welfare and immigration exercised Danish voters even more than the economy.Welfare and immigration exercised Danish voters even more than the economy.
Anger at perceived benefit tourism led the traditionally pro-immigration Social Democrats to launch an advertising campaign with the slogan: "If you come to Denmark you should work."Anger at perceived benefit tourism led the traditionally pro-immigration Social Democrats to launch an advertising campaign with the slogan: "If you come to Denmark you should work."
Mr Rasmussen, who led the country between 2009 and 2011, suggested that benefits are so high that there is barely any incentive for Danes or immigrants to work.Mr Rasmussen, who led the country between 2009 and 2011, suggested that benefits are so high that there is barely any incentive for Danes or immigrants to work.
Denmark election: Close race for the status quo
Polling ahead of the vote suggested that an increasing number of Danes were looking to smaller parties.
One of them, called the Alternative, is a green party that has the potential to tip the balance in the favour of the centre-left coalition.
On the other side, the Liberal Alliance is drawing young libertarians away from the centre-right.
Minor issues like a Faroes fishing dispute could influence the result.
The islands' fishing community is still angry at Ms Thorning-Schmidt for barring its boats from Danish ports in a 2013 dispute over alleged overfishing.