Rise of Denmark's 'Mr Perfect'

Wide support: Anders Fogh Rasmussen on the campaign trail

By CNN's Graham Jones

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (CNN) -- Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the man who has become Denmark's new prime minister, seems to many a contradiction.

He is hard-line on immigration, but pro-EU and supporter of a generous welfare state.

He is seen as a centre-right leader, but is an admirer of Britain's centre-left leader, Tony Blair.

Perhaps that explains the wide appeal of the politician known in his home country as "Mr Perfect."

"Anders!" "Anders!" supporters cheered at a victory rally on a specially-chartered ferry moored in Copenhagen for a cool politician with the widest of smiles.

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A former tax and economy minister, the often sharply-suited Fogh Rasmussen is popular with political opponents who say he is a consummate politician, always well prepared and on top of his brief.

In the election campaign he often seemed fresher and sharper than Social Democratic Prime Minister Poul Nyrup Rasmussen (no relation) whose campaign seemed dull and negative by comparison.

He even took time off on polling day to go for a jog.

Born on January 26, 1953, into a farming family, Fogh Rasmussen has an MSc degree in economics from Denmark's Aarhus University.

He was elected to parliament at the age of 20 and became leader of his party's youth wing.

His economic specialisation brought him posts in the Danish Price Index Board (1982-87) and National Tax Tribunal (1986-87). His books include "Showdown with the Tax System" and "From Social State to Minimal State."

He went on to become taxation minister between 1987 and 1992 and minister of economic affairs from 1990-92.

In 1998 he replaced Uffe Ellemann-Jensen as leader of the Liberal Party, Venstre -- the oldest party in Denmark.

Venstre's wide membership can be seen in its policies -- pro-free market economy, low taxation with a "liberal industrial policy," but also pro-welfare and environmentalist.

Since becoming leader Fogh Rasmussen has steered his party on a delicately balanced path.

The Liberals' surprise election defeat in 1998 was blamed on fears its leaders planned to dismantle the welfare state.

Jogger, cyclist, Francophile

Throughout his leadership, Fogh Rasmussen has gone out of his way to prove to voters that his party is committed to maintaining benefits, the health system, and care for the elderly.

This has meant a massaging away from hard-line conservatism -- despite many Danes' forebodings about European union the party is pro-EU and has the most seats in the European parliament.

On the other hand Fogh Rasmussen was not slow to play the immigration card in the election to court popular support.

Only 7.4 per cent of the Danish population consists of foreign nationals, naturalised immigrants and their descendants. But although the Liberal Party leader maintained that Danes were not xenophobic, he moved deftly to capture a national mood set against immigrant "scroungers."

Seeing support burgeoning for the right-wing anti-immigration Danish People's Party -- who came third in the polls -- he took up the agenda.

He promised an immigration ministry, a new drive to get immigrants into the workforce, and crucially a clampdown on welfare payments, saying his government would require people to live in Denmark for seven years before getting full access to benefits.

He said: "There is a minority of young immigrants who don't accept the values on which Danish society is built, who refuse integration, and who commit serious crimes. That is a fact."

Fogh Rasmussen has a wife, Anne-Mette, and two daughters and one son. He is a dedicated jogger, cyclist, and describes himself as a Francophile and lover of wine "in moderation."

CNN.dk's Bjarne Siewertsen contributed to this report.