"All this can be yours" "But power is not a cute little lapdog that jumps up and lies in your lap" "You have to grab it and hold on to it" "The only relevant question is, have you got what it takes?" "Come in at nine tomorrow and clear your desk" "Did they sack you?" "No, for God's sake. I left" "Ole!" "Ole, say something!" "It's not funny, OK?" "I loved him so much, Mum" "He had a heart problem, but I didn't know" "When is the funeral?" "Later today I can't go" "He had a wife and two young children" "They didn't know" "We want someone else as Prime Minister" "Who?" "Me" "Three, two, one, go" "Today Denmark got its first female Prime Minister" "Birgitte Nyborg has just presented Denmark's new government..." "Here we are" "Denmark has a new government" ""Democracy is the worst form of government..." ""...except all those other forms that have been tried"" "In just over two months Nyborg's government has negotiated a national Budget Bill" "The bill will be passed the day after tomorrow" "Many people are saying it is the Prime Minister's first real test" "Hanne Holm is a political commentator for Express" "Just what is at stake here?" "We need a Budget Act for Denmark to function properly lf the bill is not passed it is generally agreed that this government will have to go" "This bill has come together rather quickly." "How come?" "Some things just work out" "Nobody wants a Prime Minister who works slowly" "What are you going to do differently?" "There's a press conference in half an hour. I suggest you attend" "You have a briefing with the finance, foreign affairs and climate ministers" "That's in five minutes" "The press conference is at ten in the Mirror Room, and then at eleven you have..." "the Confederation of Danish industry" "That's tomorrow, I think" "Yes" "Oh, yes." "The National Gallery Director is coming at eleven" "She is coming to help you decide which paintings you want to decorate your office with lt is routine for the Prime Minister to pick them I want something more modern than what Lars Hesselboe chose" "Yes." "And at twelve..." "That will do. I need to focus on the press conference" "Did she curtsey?" "Sanne isn't very competent" "We will remove her lt's a union issue." "No department will take her" "So the Prime Minister gets landed with her" "We'lI be needing a copy of your New Year's address" "Also, the post of Special Adviser has not been filled I haven't needed a spin doctor so far" "You will now." "Guess who has become Chief Editor of Express..." "Your old friend, Michael Laugesen." "He wants your head on a platter I didn't destroy his political career." "His own party sacked him" "Who became Prime Minister?" "Not him" "He hates you, Birgitte" "Hanne Holm is at Express now." "They take the ones nobody else wants" "Good morning" "Morning" "I am here to talk about the Budget a Budget that marks a watershed in Danish politics" "Any questions?" "Hanne Holm?" "Prime Minister, have you secured a majority overnight?" "No, but as you probably know we must pass the bill with the narrowest majority possible" "Trine?" "How do you intend to do that when members of Labour plan to vote against it?" "What do you mean?" "Parly Petersen and Vang Fousing are defying the whip" "Their press release looks unusually genuine lt appears you have lost your majority" "The Art of the possible I have never been so humiliated." "What is going on, Bjørn?" "I don't know" "Whip them into line, understand?" "Yes" "We go to the vote the day after tomorrow" "OK" "My office in an hour" "Parly Petersen, why are you suddenly defying the party whip?" "It's all very well for the Prime Minister and her elitist chums to agree to help the poor in Africa" "But what about the poor in Denmark and the old age pensioners?" "Why protest at this late stage?" "l have to vote with my conscience" "We must summon the co-ordination and finance committees" "Done." "We meet in an hour" "The papers won't leave us alone." "Radio and TV want a statement" "They will have to wait" "Who will deal with them?" "I am finding a media adviser, for God's sake!" "Until then, the party secretary will have to help" "Postpone today's agenda" "The Speaker asked if you are pulling the bill I'm not." "We'll force them into line." "We're sticking to the timetable" "There is something weird about all of this" "They have had plenty of occasions to make their objections." "Why now?" "It looks like a bloody coup" "What are your options?" "Are you testing me?" "One, Marrot knocks them into line and we pass the bill two we grant their concessions and pass the bill" "Three we pull the bill and start again, losing credibility" "Agreed." "Others will have worked that out, too" "Prepare to be pissed off" "Laugesen has commented on the situation on Express TV" "The National Gallery Director is here I told you to cancel on her." "I don't have time to look at pictures" "Tell her to find me something" "Something different, something contemporary, Sanne" "OK?" "Thanks I want a new secretary" "Denmark's new Prime Minister is sadly not up to the job" "She is politically correct down to her fingertips but lacks political craftsmanship" "And not because she is a woman but because she is not up to the job" "Express asks, is Birgitte Nyborg the right Prime Minister?" "You need a media adviser." "Not next week, not by Friday." "Now!" "Hello, gorgeous" "We are going to be colleagues" "Your boss asked if I fancied joining you as a political analyst since I know Birgitte Nyborg so well" "Wow!" "Congratulations." "Do you mind?" "Such enthusiasm!" "You are still pissed off about what happened at the funeral" "That was two months ago, OK?" "You are forgiven" "Thank you" "Have you been to the hospital?" "How dare you go through my stuff?" "Calm down. lt was just lying there I went in for a check-up, a screening for cervical cancer, if you must know" "Sorry" "Katrine, what is wrong?" "Nothing" "Listen, I am due in make-up." "We can talk later, all right?" "Why push yourself like this when you are in such a state?" "Who says I am in a state?" "l do, because I know you" "Maybe you don't any more" "THREE YEARS earlier" "Hey, save some for me" "No!" "Hey, save some for me!" "Hello" "Selfish" "I bet you haven't told your parents about me" "Come on!" "Of course I've told Papa about you" "What?" ""Papa?" Are you Crown Prince Frederik?" "That's his name!" "Why do you call him that?" "He lived in France for 25 years" "OK" "Bloody hell" "And did he live there with Maman?" "Mama" "Mama!" "Or Sandrine, as she is also known ls it weird to call her "Mum" when she isn't your mum?" "Not when your real mum is dead" "OK, so Mama is a housewife and Papa made a fortune building helicopters?" "For Eurocopter" "For the French army." "I don't want to talk about them" "No?" "So when do I get to meet them?" "Soon" "You've been saying that for months" "Yes" "You've met my family" "Yes" "Your family lives in Randers" "Mine live in the south of France" "You said I would meet them at Easter" "Then it was during the summer." "Then it was..." "Then it was in autumn" "Then it was in winter I am serious." "When am I going to meet them?" "I am serious, too" "I want a kiss" "l need a kiss" "No!" "When do I get to meet them?" "You have to give me a kiss first" "OK, a tiny one" "Didn't you want a kiss?" "l didn't say where, did I?" "Your permanent secretary says you may hire Tore Gudme from Save the Children as your spin doctor?" "Yes." "His views accord with everything the Moderates represent" "Have you seen his CV?" "He is a Professor of Rhetoric" "Laugesen is going to go for the throat" "Who would you rather send into the ring?" "A man who can administer a beating or a Professor of Rhetoric?" "Bjørn Marrot is here" "Well?" "Did you talk to Parly and Vagn?" "Yes. I did as you said and pulled no punches" "And?" "lt didn't work" "They won't budge" "They must vote for your policies to stay in your party" "They took the consequences" "They resigned from the party" "They have gone independent?" "breaking NEWS" "Welcome to the news" "The government's majority is waning and the drama is growing by the hour" "Standby server" "ParIy Pedersen and Vagn Fousing after a bollocking from the party chairman resigned from Labour to stand as independents" "Server start" "Stick to the script." "We don't say "bollocking" on this channel" "She looks good enough to eat" "No, she does not." "Tanja, can you pop in and dab her face?" "How long till I go on again?" "28 seconds" "Why?" "Two seconds" "What is going on?" "l have to..." "What the hell are you doing?" "You're on in twenty seconds" "What is going on?" "Where is she?" "Let's see" "Prepare the short stories in case" "They are ready" "ls there anything I can do, Katrine?" "No, I'm OK, thanks" "Five seconds, four, three..." "We're rolling, girls -two, one, go" "The Budget is not the only drama at Christiansborg today" "Former Prime Minister Lars Hesselboe is waiting to hear if the majority is in favour of a commission to investigate his use of public funds when he was in office" "Start" "Nice one" "By the skin of your teeth!" "Ring the AB group and get them to come over" "Tomorrow, yes" "Yes, OK." "See you." "Bye" "There is a very handsome man outside." "His name is Tore Gudme" "Yes." "Will you send him in?" "This way" "Thanks" "Hello, Tore" "Hello" "Thanks for finding time to drop in" "No problem I sensed it was urgent" "Take a seat" "Thanks I realise you hold an important post." "I fully respect that ln spite of that I was wondering if you could see yourself... I understand what we are talking about" "The job is completely confidential" "You need an answer immediately, and it has to be yes or no lf it is yes, I must drop everything and join you right away" "Right?" "Yes" "All right, fine." "Tell me what you need I need a media adviser" "A spin doctor" "Yes I don't see my spin doctor as being a prince of darkness I won't let my spin doctor direct policy l direct policy, and my spin doctor runs press relations" "OK" "Right, listen I could give you my sales pitch, but we don't have time for that" "You asking me to come shows you know what I am capable of" "But I would like to add that I believe in you as a person and in your political message" "Do you regard that as a precondition for being a good spin doctor?" "Probably not lt depends on how professional you are I wouldn't want to be too professional" "May I add one more question?" "Yes, of course I have read your CV." "Very handsome, very impressive" "Denmark's youngest Associate Professor of Rhetoric" "Degrees from Harvard and Princeton" "My question is this" "So far you have been on the winning team" "How do you think you would handle adversity?" "Analysis, consequences, execution l am sorry I have so little time." "You'll need time to consider" "No, I have considered." "It's a yes" "Can you begin next week?" "I know it's Christmas but..." "You don't need me next week" "You need me at eight tomorrow morning" "Shall we say half seven?" "Half seven it is" "See you, then" "Thank you" "Bye" "Bye" "Hi, darling!" "Hi" "That's my new spin doctor" "Did you pick him for his looks, or is he qualified?" "How lovely!" "Are you out for a walk?" "Christmas shopping." "Bloody hell!" "Darling, I don't have a lot of time" "Hi, Laura and Magnus" "Do you want to come with me to see the Mirror Room?" "The Budget is slipping away." "It's chaos lt's the same thing at home" "Your bodyguards have officially moved into the garage" "So the greenhouse is our new bike shed I can ring you if the two independents turn up" "Give me an hour" "l've got an hour" "An hour?" "That is fantastic, darling" "Silent night, holy night All is calm, all is bright" "The thing is, Magnus and I have some secret business to attend to" "Well, Laura and I have something secret to attend to, as well" "So let's meet up later" "Fine" "Do you think we fooled them?" "Right, shall we start by walking along Strædet?" "I made a list. I didn't think you'd know what we wanted" "Goodness, you are clever" "ls it Magnus who wants all this?" "Yes" "He has grown into an expensive boy, hasn't he?" "I expect that can wait" "Answer it, Mummy" "Sejrø speaking." "The Independents have turned up" "They are waiting for us" "Fine. I am on my way" "I'll have to run" "Didn't you say an hour?" "Yes, I'm sorry" "Go on, Mum." "Don't worry" "See you -lsn't Mum coming?" "No, Mum has this Budget that is slipping out of her control" "Let's buy some presents." "Come on" "Thank you" "Thanks" "They are waiting inside." "What have you got to offer them?" "They can have a few million for the elderly l refuse to cut foreign aid or mess with matters of principle" "They are just a couple of lndependents" "You sound like a real Prime Minister" "We appreciate your concern for the elderly" "We have managed to find another 210 million in the Budget for them I can see you have tried hard to give us a good hand" "Yes" "But..." "There is another matter that I have long had in mind" "And in politic you have to act while you have influence" "What are we talking about?" "A motorway to Ringkøbing" "Thank you for the meeting, Parly." "We'll get back to you" "They are mad but I'll see what I can do" "Perhaps we can manage without them." "Lars Hesselboe just phoned" "The Liberals and the New Right want to meet us to make us an offer" "Oh?" "When?" "Now" "Us two, Lars Hesselboe and Yvonne" "Don't mention foreign aid." "It's like a red rag to a bull to them" "They will want cash for the police" "They can't have that I am not revising the entire Budget at this stage lf Lars Hesselboe patronises me, I'm walking out" "Let me do the talking" "Yes" "But somebody has to knock some sense into that little lady" "That was an unexpected phone call I didn't think there was any reason to throw the country into a crisis and turn us into another Italy" "Birgitte, you no longer have a majority behind you" "Just as long as I don't have a majority against me" "Shall we sit down?" "You can elect to negotiate with the two independents" "Does Denmark deserve a Budget based on your begging from traitors?" "With all due respect, Parly is not burdened by conscience" "Do you want to save the government?" "That would require you to be forthcoming" "There are elements in your extremely politically correct Budget that we cannot accept" "What you see as politically correct, we see as social responsibility" "Let's not get emotional" "This is our proposal for co-operation" "Some things are non-negotiable." "We want the first press conference" "Let Birgitte look at it first" "Let me guess" "Tax cuts more police and armed forces fewer green taxes and harsher punishments for young criminals?" "Well, we will require concessions if we are to keep you afloat" "Denmark got a new government two and a half months ago" "We don't pursue bourgeois policies" "A government pursues the policies necessary to its survival" "Think about it" "Lars" "The answer is no I don't want to be remembered as being a stand-in for the Liberals" "The alternative is not being remembered at all" "We could have negotiated" "That wasn't negotiation." "It was an ultimatum making Lars the father of the nation and keeping the little girl in the game" "Our only option is Parly and Vagn" "Go home l'Il talk to Parly, all night if necessary I'll give them as little as possible" "Bent, am I a complete idiot?" "Maybe, but you are the bravest idiot I know" "Are you still Prime Minister?" "Two days ago, I had a Budget and a majority in Parliament" "Now I am negotiating with two crazed lndependents about a motorway" "Will giving them a motorway get you a majority?" "Yes" "Then give it to them" "To buy peace?" "The kids want to see a bit of you" "Even at the cost of a motorway?" "Did they mind me not being home at bedtime?" "You promised to read Magnus a story, and he wouldn't let me do it" "He's all right." "He'll be right as rain in the morning" "Would the Prime Minister like to help me wrap up presents?" "I do believe I managed to distract Magnus just enough to keep Father Christmas alive for another year" "We'll have a lovely Christmas, I promise" "l'll do most of the hard work" "No, you mustn't do that..." "Yes, you'll have to" "We are still us, right?" "Good morning" "Morning, Sanne" "The Finance Minister is waiting and the National Gallery Director phoned I won't have time to deal with it." "Leave it to her" "Morning" "Did you sleep here all night?" "No, I didn't sleep" "We can't bring in a new motorway before the division tomorrow" "You'll have to ask the Speaker for more time" "The bulldog?" "She hates me" "You have no other options" "You will have to talk to the bulldog" "Our dear Speaker won't postpone the division" "We face a no-confidence motion" "For God's sake!" "This is Denmark, not Italy" "Parliament is completely divided" "Good manners are on hold." "What counts is securing a majority" "Will you get me a majority?" "We can't even agree on a bloody motorway within our government" "Amir and the Greens won't have it lt crosses the breeding ground of some endangered wader" "Amir rates his survival as a minister more highly than that of a wader" "The Solidarity Party will opt out, and we still won't have a majority I've put out feelers" "We discussed that motorway business a few years ago and dropped it" "Why has Parly brought it up now?" "His constituency are behind it" "But it is all out of proportion" "What if we spin this?" "We leak to the press that Parly doesn't care about pensioners" "All he wants is a motorway in his constituency" "Leaking confidential information is not our way" "My guess is that Parly will retract his demands" "We may be in a minority tomorrow" "We're past the point of fair play" "l think we should do it" "OK" "Let's see how far gone you are, Katrine" "Lie down, undo your trousers and lift up your top so we can get a picture" "Let's see if we can see anything" "Yes, that's the baby" "What is that little dot going on and off?" "That's the tiny heart" "I can make a print for the father, if you like?" "Shall I?" "Thank you" "He'd have liked to have been here" "Everything is fine" "He had to work..." "He can come next time" "A source close to the talks tells us you have tabled a new demand" "You want a motorway to Ringkøbing" "Explain that if you can" "Yesterday you were resigned to helping pensioners" "Don't you think you may be confusing people now?" "Not when they see that a motorway will benefit pensioners" "You had better elaborate I think so, too" "Do you know how long the elderly wait for an ambulance in West Jutland?" "Three times as long as in Copenhagen" "He can't be serious" "People might think this is because it's in your constituency" "Yes, go for it" "Try telling five-year-old Anna and her family that on Friday, her granddad collapsed and needed an ambulance" "But there was a traffic jam on the main road" "As a result, he died on his way to hospital lf there had been a motorway, he'd have made it to spend Christmas with Anna" "Our Prime Minister says we should treat people from the third world as if their lives were as valuable as our own" "How come, then, a granddad in Ringkøbing is apparently worth less than a bloke from Somalia?" "We will put that question to the Prime Minister" "He is just letting him get away with it" "There is no logic to Parly's arguments lt is the mood of the people that counts" "Parly has just won them over with Anna who's lost her granddad" "majority WANTS HESSELBOE investigated" "How can we survive the division tomorrow?" "Blackmail" "Oh, you kept the art works lt's about to be replaced" "Your Budget is in trouble" "l need a week" "You have lost your majority" "A vote of no confidence now and you've had it I am the only realistic head of government right now and you know it" "So you don't think I could regain the premiership?" "Of course" "The chance of being Prime Minister again is just what I am offering you" "You may face a commission because of that credit card business" "They won't find anything -l don't think they will, either" "But for now you are seen as a man who has had his fingers in the till" "That man can't be Prime Minister" "What do you want?" "Without the Moderates there is no majority vote for a commission to investigate you I will veto it if you vote to postpone the Budget" "Give me a week's respite I am not going to vote for your Budget Bill" "Nor is the New Right" "really?" "Do you speak for the entire Opposition?" "Yvonne has done as I've told her for six years." "She won't stop now" "Just give me a week's respite" "You're not answering your phone" "Maybe I want to be alone I just wanted to hear how you were" "Why do you want to be alone?" "No reason. I'm working" "I'm going to Jutland for Christmas" "l see" "Yes" "Do you want to?" "Are you going home?" "Or to France?" "No" "Mama and Papa are in French Polynesia lt's something they have just started doing" "Don't they ever miss Denmark?" "What the hell is there to miss?" "You" "Mama and Papa are not particularly sentimental, so... I think I'lI have my Christmas dinner at the St Petri hotel." "Want to come?" "I have my family, Kasper." "Remember them?" "They live 18km from Randers lt smells of Ajax and the shit they spread on the fields" "But it's OK" "You are welcome there if you are on your own I am not on my own." "I was joking l am going to my uncle's in Skodsborg for some kind of do" "There will be about 25 people." "It will be fine I'm pregnant" "What?" "I'm pregnant" "Are you having me on?" "By whom?" "Ole" "You can't be lt must have happened towards the end." "We weren't very careful" "That's fine." "It is none of my business I assume you're going to get rid of it" "No" "You can't have a baby now" "Why not?" "Because you can't get your head round your life right now" "You're the TV news anchor" "Can you hear yourself?" "We're talking about a baby, Kasper" "Ole's and my love" "You're 29" "There will be time for babies" "Yes, but not his" "THREE YEARS earlier I'm sorry I'm late" "What was the big hurry?" "Who are you?" "What?" "Who are you?" "Your dad's name is Peter Juul, right?" "No Peter Juul works for Eurocopter" "Are you checking up on me?" "And there is no Lise Juul buried in Slagelse churchyard" "The journalist has been at work" "You lied I didn't lie to you, OK?" "l just didn't give any details" "So tell me now!" "OK." "Calm down" "My dad took his second wife's name when they got married" "He works for the French military lf a journalist phoned, I doubt they would just give out information I don't know what the man does apart from work on helicopters" "My mother..." "She is in an unmarked grave" "She killed herself when I was three" "I am sorry. I am so sorry, darling" "Come on" "Coming?" "The government avoided losing a vote when the Liberals backed a motion to postpone the third reading of the Budget Bill" "Unusually, Parliament will now sit between Christmas and New Year" "Kasper Juul, welcome to the studio" "Thanks" "You were a spin doctor for Nyborg and the Moderates" "What are we seeing here?" "What we're seeing is a Prime Minister who is really up against it" "Parliament is divided, but this is a minor tactical victory for Nyborg" "She now has six days' grace" "Can you tell us how she got the Liberals to agree to postpone?" "I think we're seeing the results of a classic trade-off lf any of you heard the radio news at noon today Birgitte Nyborg said she saw no purpose in a commission to investigate Lars Hesselboe" "She has been given another six days in which to negotiate and he will be left in peace ln other words, it's a trade-off" "There I've been Christmas shopping for eleven minutes I had to ask my bodyguards what to get my husband" "Have you seen this?" "Yes, I expect it will blow over" "Blow over?" "Did you read Tore's response to Laugesen?" "It is well written" "Listen, Laugesen is turning people against you and your spin doctor writes in to Politiken" "He is no good." "He cannot protect you" "My achievements will protect me" "Achievements are of no use" "Bent, what do you expect me to do?" "I am working twenty hours a day I am being lynched, and we have lost our majority" "So?" "Aren't you the Prime Minister?" "What do you mean?" "You are the Prime Minister" "Are you going to resign?" "Well?" "No, of course I am not I am not going to resign before we have even got started" "We'll have to find six billion for that motorway and get to work" "l believe in this, Bent" "Right" "Put it in your New Year address" "Hi -l am sorry" "Aren't you meant to beg forgiveness and all that crap on Christmas Eve?" "But you never apologise" "Well, it is Christmas Eve, so..." "Are you at your uncle's?" "What the hell is that noise?" "Are you having a party with Johnny Reimar and the Smurfs?" "My brother has organised a Christmas fair in the farmyard with loudspeakers, the works..." "He is so naff" "He'll give me an 8m high pepper mill if I'm single at thirty" "You had better hurry up, then" "Yes" "Are you sure you're doing the right thing?" "Yes" "Hey, I think they're calling me" "Coming!" "Katrine, dinner is served" "Take care, now" "OK." "Merry Christmas" "Hi, Mum" "Hi, darling" "They are not asleep" "Do I detect a hint of rejection, Phillip Christensen?" "No, but I saw... I saw Kasper, your old spin doctor, on TV the other day" "He had worked out your little deal with Hesselboe" "So I thought, why didn't you pick him instead of that Gudme bloke?" "No way. I have no intention of working with Kasper again" "The man has no conscience" "Since when was that necessary for a spin doctor?" "He ran a fantastic election campaign for you ln my world, you choose the best man ln my world, you choose the right man I choose you" "Say a proper thank you for that present" "That pen was bloody expensive" "Yes, but you gave me an identical one three years ago" "How awful of me!" "How awful of me!" "Darling, come here." "Come here, you" "Sorry -lt's all right" "What the devil?" "Leave it ls it mine?" "It's your new boyfriend, Tore Gudme" "Here" "Morning, Tore" "Sorry to call on Christmas morning" "Have you seen Express?" "No" "Laugesen's claiming you and I are in a relationship. lt's grotesque lt's such a dirty trick lt is a completely dastardly mixture of gossip and a hate campaign" "Yes, but it is extremely effective" "My mother phoned to ask if I was getting divorced" "l am stopping it now" "What?" "TV1 wants us to go up against Laugesen in a live TV duel" "OK" "You can't do that" "You are the Prime Minister" "He is the editor of a red top" "You are not at the same level" "But I can meet him" "l'll play him at his own game" "We can't!" "The Opposition will murder us if we let a spin doctor debate for us l won't be debating I'll respond to the dirt dished on me and discuss press ethics" "That is a bloody tricky tightrope act lf you make one slip, all hell will break loose lt is quite simple" "Laugesen's aim is to undermine Birgitte's credibility" "Ours is to derail him." "That's it. lt's simple" "We've been silent for too long." "It's time for action I think so, too" "l'll ring TV1 at once" "All right" "Merry Christmas" "Laugesen is dangerous" "How much television experience has Tore got?" "The man is a Professor of Rhetoric" "I should be there by six, all right." "Check with Pia" "OK, we'll have a briefing session when I get there, all right?" "OK." "Bye" "You'll be at Granddad's for Boxing Day lunch, right?" "Mum, they just rang to ask me to do a major interview tonight" "My plane leaves in two hours" "Granddad will be disappointed" "Yes, I know" "But if you watch tonight, I'm sure you'll understand" "Didn't you say you fainted last week?" "Yes, but it wasn't anything serious" "People do die of stress, you know?" "lt isn't stress" "You never stop working, Katrine -lt isn't stress, Mum" "Darling, you don't know that" "Oh, I do" "You're pregnant!" "My darling!" "How far gone are you?" "Almost eleven weeks" "Why didn't you say?" "Who is...?" "Ole" "So the baby won't have a father" "Ole is dead, Katrine" "You don't understand" "What is there to understand?" "We're going to have a baby together" "Not together" "Just you and you are on your own" "Haven't you said goodbye to him properly yet?" "Why are you so hard on yourself?" "You think I should have an abortion" "No, no" "You are the one who believes in God" "God has nothing to do with this" "You must look out for yourself -l have to go" "Katrine!" "Are you ready to go on air tonight?" "I can get Ulrik to do it" "Don't get him to do it." "It's fine. I'm OK, all right?" "Have Tanja give you some colour." "You are as pale as a ghost" "And smile, for God's sake, Katrine." "Smile." "This isn't an undertaker's" "What?" "Haven't you told him?" "You want a baby, but nobody is allowed to know" "Do you want a gold medal for denial?" "ls it because it is Ole's?" "Shut up!" "Laugesen's front page shows a photo of you and the Prime Minister and a headline insinuating a flirtation between you" "What do you say to that?" "lt is a grotesque insinuation" "It has no foundation in reality" "It shows the level of criticism Express is directing at the Prime Minister" "And what level is that?" "Express is a self-appointed mix of gutter press and mob justice" "We all know the real sector of the population it represents" "Calm down" "That sounds very interesting." "Which sector is that?" "Shall we call them visionless misfits?" "You mean, people who don't read four foreign papers a day like you?" "Express tries to appeal to the lowest common denominator making Parly Pedersen a hero for criticising government aid to Africa" "Don't talk politics!" "Doesn't freedom of speech give Pedersen the right to disagree and Express the right to criticise the Prime Minister?" "It would be a good idea for Express to rein in its freedom of speech a bit" "No, no, no, no ls the Prime Minister's media adviser proposing restrictions on freedom of speech?" "Come off it -lsn't that what you said?" "Laugesen has taken on the job of Chief Editor of Express to further his own political career" "His board should take a look at that" "The Prime Minister is also Press Minister and will gladly take up the matter" "Shut up, Tore!" "So now you are threatening me with the sack?" "And anyone else who contradicts Nyborg?" "I am afraid we don't have time for any more I'd be interested to hear who Tore thinks should be booted out" "Thank you for coming" "Thank you" "I know who you are I don't think you belong here" "There is something you should know -l don't want to know anything" "Understand?" "He was my husband I think you should leave" "l am so sorry" "Leave, for God's sake!" "Papa has received a call from somebody in Sydney saying..." "TWO YEARS earlier ...they have to go to some military conference the very week we were going to go to see them" "How about us two go somewhere instead?" "lt's no good" "What?" "Us two. lt's no good" "What?" "I thought we were more or less sorted" "Kasper, I think you are fantastic" "But I can't let go." "I don't believe anything you say I don't know what's made up and what's real" "There is always an excuse." "Nothing is quite the way you first told it" "Maybe you have a need for secrets" "Oh, stop it" "l don't need anything at all" "All right, you don't" "But the problem is that I don't believe you" "That makes it hard to believe in us l swear by everything... lt is all a misunderstanding" "I don't think so lt is just the way we are" "I don't have any secrets lt doesn't matter any more." "It is inside me" "I think we love each other" "So do I" "I thought you needed some good news I've twisted the arms of the Greens and Labour and found six billion for a motorway" "Here is a draft agreement" "That is pretty impressive, Bent" "But the bad news is that Tore Gudme is being lampooned by the press I got rid of him this morning" "He has never been sacked before" "What do we do now?" "Sell the lndependents their bloody motorway" "We'll pass the Budget tomorrow." "We must get out of these doldrums" "Who will manage the press?" "Bent!" "You tried appointing an amateur." "Do you mind phoning a pro this time?" "Kasper Juul to see the Prime Minister" "You need to sign in" "That's all right, Benny" "This way I'm impressed that you found six billion for a motorway" "The coalition parties and the Solidarity Party have to agree to it" "The Independents will be here in an hour so we can tie this up I think you're mistaken" "He has got his blasted motorway -l don't think Parly wants a motorway" "What do you mean?" "He wants your resignation" "Parly is a political tool." "Someone else wants Birgitte out" "Michael Laugesen?" "What do we know about Parly?" "Wasn't he up to his neck in shit eight years ago for fiddling his Euro expenses?" "Who got him out of the mire?" "Laugesen" "Exactly" "Do you mean he told Parly to go against the whip?" "Of course" "When Laugesen resigned the chairmanship he could no longer help Parly" "Parly was isolated" "He could no longer expect to chair any committees" "He faced losing his seat" "He was done for in Danish politics" "So why not repay an old debt do a friend a favour and get your fifteen minutes of fame?" "You mean overthrow the government as a favour to a friend?" "That is just too far-fetched -l may have a lively imagination" "But I think you should ring him" "Parly speaking" "Hi, Parly, this is Birgitte Nyborg" "We are due to meet in an hour's time I expect it will be a short meeting." "You can have your motorway" "Let's be careful we don't misunderstand one another" "There is still quite a lot separating us lf l am to vote for your Budget tomorrow we need to talk about building a new hospital for Skjern" "I see I'll have to put it to the coalition." "We'll get back to you" "How dare he?" "There is nothing we can do" "Yes, there is" "What?" "We can do what our party has stood for, for the last 50 years" "We can co-operate across Danish politics" "We need the New Right" "But we have tried them" "We haven't spoken to them without the Liberals" "But they belong together" "Do they?" "Do you realise what this will mean?" "It would be a triumph for the government" "The New Right can't stand the Greens" "Bent, calm down" "For the first time in eight years, there will be no faction politics" "Keep your voices down" "You could do it at Marienborg" "She'd love that, the old snob" "Hi, Yvonne. lt's Birgitte Nyborg" "How nice of you to come I assume it is important" "Tomorrow I plan to announce that I am postponing the Budget and I'm tabling a temporary bill interesting." "On what grounds?" "It is vital there is broad agreement on both sides of the house with the New Right." "There" "What grounds do we have for not toppling you?" "It doesn't make much sense to topple me right now" "The chaos that would ensue from an election would go against the whole basis of your party..." "Law and order" "God, Queen and country lt is time we put a stop to the war between the two wings" "There is a lot we disagree on" "But there is even more that we agree on" "Tea?" "I should have asked you to bring some of your fantastic biscuits" "My support will cost you, Birgitte" "What are we talking about?" "400 million more for the police" "You've got it -600 million for the armed forces" "As long as you mean equipment and training and not expansion, fine lndustry doesn't like the tax on pollution" "Then we'll have to help them convert to more CO2-friendly production" "You haven't got the money." "Less than nine billion will not do" "Four billion" "Eight" "Five" "Seven" "Six billion and that's my limit." "And not another word on foreign aid" "That's more a matter of principle than money, as you well know" "Where can you find six billion?" "From a motorway I don't think we'll be building, after all" "Have we got a deal?" "I'll have to talk to Hesselboe about it" "We were in government together for six years" "Of course" "So he was right" "Right?" "Hesselboe" "He told me that you always do as he says" "Oh?" "Did he now?" "Yesterday, Birgitte Nyborg cut a landmark deal with the New Right on the Budget" "Hanne Holm, Political Editor for Express, is on the line" "You say this is a decisive victory for Nyborg" "From facing a no-confidence motion not only has Nyborg brought home the Budget Bill... ..she has also divided the Opposition" "That is what anybody would call political craftsmanship" "Thank you." "And from the landmark deal..." "Are you going to Marienborg after your New Year address?" "Bloody hell!" "My New Year address!" "I have taken the liberty of drafting your address ls it good?" "You're looking smart" "Thanks" "You have certainly put together an interesting art collection" "It is certainly contemporary" "Sanne, please call the director of the National Gallery right away" "Even after the recession Denmark is one of the world's ten richest nations" "Some criticise the government's wish to double our foreign aid rather than taking better care of ourselves I say taking better care of ourselves means taking care of others" "Let me explain with a piece of simple arithmetic" "Out of every thousand children born in Denmark, five die" "In Afghanistan, it is over 200" "That is a discrepancy that makes people desperate causing wars and encouraging terrorism" "Those are the economic and national security arguments" "The most important argument is that if 200 children die that is 200 too many I believe everybody should have the chance to watch their children grow up I believe that the meaning of Iife is perhaps simply to pass it on" "Thank you" "That was really well done with a New Year's Day hangover" "l might even vote for you next time" "Really?" "Come with me." "I want to show you something" "Did you write that speech?" "Yes" "l thought you were a cynical bastard" "Oh, I am" "But your wife pays me a fortune to write all this emotional crap" "Champagne time" "How lovely." "Thanks" "Do you want a taste, darling?" "Yes" "Yes?" "Did you get my message?" "I included a message to you in the New Year address" "A paean to life and children..." "l've had it removed I had an abortion a couple of hours ago I'm sorry" "Why are we never on the same page?" "I have got to go, Kasper" "Happy New Year" "Kasper?" "Here" "Thanks" "You are good" "Thanks"