Billeder hænger bedre i rammer : hvordan Lars Løkke Rasmussen framer regeringens økonomipolitik i Folketingets åbningstale 2016

Abstract

In this paper the political framing in Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen’s speech at the opening of the Danish parliament will be examined. To accomplish the purpose of the study, classical and modern framing theory will be used to show the form, function and effects of the frames in concern. Main theories in the paper are George Lakoff and Robert Entman, while secondary theoretical works spand from Erving Goffman and Friedrich Nietzsche to Rune Sloothus, Jens Steen & Gry Reiter and Wayne Booth. The methodological approach is qualitative and mainly hermeneutical. The results show, that Lars Løkke Rasmussen’s use of framing in the speech picture the state of the country from an economical point of view. Via metaphorical and value-loaded frames he states the Danish economy as losing in a competition for economical growth compared to other nations. The solution he offers is pushing unemployed people into work by motivating them through the government’s economical reforms and regulations. In order to do that he frames work as morally correct, the reforms as an savings account and a common tax cuts and the governments economical regulations as necessary for the future survival of the Danish economy. Furthermore he positions himself as a prime minister by speaking to the broad Danish population. At the same time he conducts valuable political partnership with the business world and the worker- organisations by praising them and avoiding not offending them in his political points of view. As an end point Lars Løkke Rasmussen frames in a democratic constructive way as his framing brings his political points and values out in the open, but also at certain times manipulates and camouflages the actual political act in the government’s package of economical reforms.