Pia Kjaersgaard, who led the far-right anti-immigration Danish People's Party (DPP) for nearly 17 years, was elected the first female speaker of Denmark's parliament, the Folketing, on Friday. Although the post is largely ceremonial, it illustrates the growing opposition to immigration in Denmark. Indeed, the DPP became the second largest party in parliament in June's general elections.

"I will strive to be a speaker for the whole parliament," Kjaersgaard said following the vote, adding that it was "a great honor" to be selected.

While her statements in the Folketing sounded conciliatory, Kjaersgaard is known for the tough anti-multiculturalism and nativist stance from which she refused to waver during her time in parliament representing first the Progress Party and then the DPP, which she co-founded in 1995.

Between 2001 and 2011, the DPP and Kjaersgaard helped steer the Folketing through a number of measures tightening immigration controls in return for supporting minority governments.

Kjaersgaard retired from party leadership in 2012, handing the reins over to current DPP chief Karl Thulesen Dahl.

Folketing debates cuts to refugees

Debate began on yet another new bill aimed at curbing migration on Friday, with the DPP taking advantage of its huge gains in the June 18 vote. The right-wing populists jumped from 12.3 percent of the vote in 2011 to 21.1 percent in the most recent elections, giving in 37 seats in the 179-seat Folketing - three more than the center-right Venstre party which is now leading Denmark with a minority government, and is therefore dependent on the support of parties like the DPP.

The new law would cut financial benefits for asylum seekers and reduce the number of refugees allowed into the country. The bill is only a "first step," according to Martin Henrikson of the DPP, whose party has made no secret of its wish to remove Denmark from the Schengen zone allowing free movement throughout European members.

"We are fixing things after the former government," said Marcus Knuth of Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen's Venstre party, defending the bill.

Rasmussen defeated former prime minister and the first woman to hold the post, Helle Thorning-Schmidt, in June. Thorning-Schmidt was also elected to be one of Kjaersgaard's deputy speakers on Friday.

es/msh (AP, dpa)