THE daughter-in-law of Neil Kinnock, the former Labour leader, may become the first woman prime minister of Denmark after a general election this week.

Helle Thorning-Schmidt, the 40-year-old leader of the opposition Social Democrats, is married to Kinnock’s son Stephen. She has also won the enthusiastic backing of Alastair Campbell, Tony Blair’s former spin doctor.

“Dear Helle, good to talk to you earlier, and I’m glad to hear the campaign is going well,” he wrote in a letter published on her blog. “The more people see and hear of you, the more they will like what they see and hear, so you’re going to have to campaign hard, with lots of travel, and lots of talking. But remember to get a little rest along the way.”

He added: “It will be fantastic if you win, and nothing less than you deserve. Good luck.”

Thorning-Schmidt, a staunch champion of Denmark’s generous welfare state, is fighting a close battle with Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the incumbent prime minister who leads the Liberal party in a centre-right coalition.

The latest polls show the Liberals and the Social Democrats are neck and neck, on about 25% each. Smaller parties make up the rest of the vote.

The choice of prime minister may well be determined by Naser Khader, the Syrian-born leader of the New Alliance party, founded only six months ago.

Describing himself as a “secular Muslim”, with the word “democracy” tattooed in Arabic on his arm, Khader, 44, shot to fame as a peacemaker during the international row in 2005 over cartoons of the prophet Muham-mad that had been published in a Danish newspaper.

Khader founded his party to counter Rasmussen’s reliance on the antiimmigrant Danish People’s party in the ruling coalition.

Polls suggest the New Alliance will gain at least six seats on Tuesday, leaving both Fogh Rasmussen’s tax-cutting coalition and the Thorning-Schmidt’s pro-welfare opposition bloc just short of a majority.

“The New Alliance is going to be a decisive factor in the election,” said Casper Jensen from the Megafon polling institute. “And Naser Khader is keeping his options open.”

Official Danish Social Democrats' web page

Naser Khader's official page

Helle Thorning-Schmidt's official page (in Danish)

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