Image Source: Business.dk

BY AUSTIN FAX

ANCHOR MEGAN MURPHY

The vote has been tallied and for the first time in history-- Denmark will have a female prime minister. Helle Thorning-Schmidt-- the daughter-in-law of Welsh political icon Neil Kinnock -- led the Social Democrats to a landmark victory.

The Telegraph caught up with her supporters after the announcement on Thursday.  

SUPPORTER 1: “I’m so happy, I’m so happy, I can’t describe it.”
SUPPORTER 2: “It’s indescribable. You can feel the happiness, it’s pure happiness coming from this room.”
(Room jumping up and down in jubilation)

But the London Evening Standard’s Tom Harper thinks it’s a miracle Thorning-Schmidt was able to win. Her family is thought to have a political curse on it -- and rumors have been swirling her husband is gay and they are separating.

“Helle denounced ‘grotesque’ rumours that she had separated from the former Labour leader's son Stephen.
[The rumours] raised the spectre of a ‘Kinnock curse,’ recalling her father-in-law 1992 general election defeat in Britain after he appeared to be clear favourite to win. ... He later blamed smears in the press for the defeat.”

Thorning-Schmidt takes over the office as Denmark suffers its worst recession since World War II.  BBC’s Jonathan Josephs says her economic plan helped her win over the people.

“It’s an economy with one of the world’s highest tax burdens and a heavy reliance on exports. The Social Democrats hope to revive it with a $1.5 billion stimulus package and higher taxes for banks and the wealthy.”

Referred to as “Gucci Helle” because of her affinity for fashion -- The Christian Science Monitor’s Robert Marquand thinks the election results could give the political landscape in Denmark a makeover.

“Female politicians are not unusual in Scandinavia. But a new left coalition and a young female leader may change Denmark’s image as an increasingly closed and often Europhobic state that this summer tried to create separate border control stations, angering Germany and European Union officials.”

The Social Democratic Party now holds a five-seat advantage in the Danish Parliament. The Guardian’s Robin Pettitt says with such a slim advantage, he wouldn’t want to be in the new Prime Minister’s shoes.

“Thorning-Schmidt has been dealt an unenviable hand, both by the electorate and the international economic crisis. The Danish economy is not as troubled as many other European countries, but unpopular measures will still have to be taken.”