Parliamentary elections in Denmark have ended with the closest possible preliminary result, giving the centre-left government of Prime Minister Poul Nyrup Rasmussen a majority of one seat.

Ellemann-Jensen: had high hopes

The count in mainland Denmark left the Social Democrat government with 88 seats against 87 for the centre-right opposition led by the former foreign minister, Uffe Ellemann-Jensen.

Both sides gained one seat each in the Faroe Islands, where a recount was ordered.

The Prime Minister also received the support of one of the two members elected in the second North Atlantic territory, Greenland.

The BBC correspondent in Copenhagen says the biggest winner of the elections is the far-right Danish People's Party, which gained 15 seats on an anti-immigration and anti-European ticket.

Celebrations as results are announced

He says Mr Rasmussen's victory is being put down to the high-level personal campaign he ran.

The results were so close that Mr Rasmussen claimed victory in cautious terms.

"The government has no majority against it and therefore we will, with reservation for the detailed (vote) count, form a government," he said after a meeting with Queen Margrethe II.

The Prime Minister earlier said he planned to reshuffle the Cabinet.

The centre-left government took office in January 1993 and won re-election in September 1994.

Opinion polls before Wednesday's election had indicated a slim victory for the centre-right opposition.

Denmark is due to vote in a referendum on May 28 on the European Union's Amsterdam Treaty, which opens the way for enlargement and a common policy on refugees and asylum.
 

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