Opinion polls over the past year have shown Rasmussen is likely to face a tough challenge from the Social Democrat-led opposition, which hopes to regain power after a 10-year break.

A general election had been due by mid-November but Rasmussen, leader of the Liberal party, exercised his right to set an earlier date at just three weeks’ notice.

“The Liberal Party and the Conservatives go into the election to get a renewed mandate to secure and maintain healthy public finances in a world marked by turmoil and debt crises,” Rasmussen told a news conference.

“I have proposed to her Majesty the Queen that parliamentary elections be held on Thursday, September 15,” Rasmussen said.

Rasmussen has been prime minister since April 2009, heading a center-right minority coalition government with the Conservatives.

But according to the average of four recent opinion polls, the opposition “Red bloc” would win 53.0 percent of the vote against the 47.6 percent of the governing “Blue bloc.”

“Opinion polls show a clear lead for the Red bloc so something significant has to happen in order to make Lars Lokke Rasmussen win ...,” said Peter Goll, leading partner at the Geelmuyden.Kiese consultancy.

Talks between the government and populist Danish People’s Party on a $2.1 billion economic growth package broke off on Friday, a development that some felt has tipped Rasmussen into the election.

The economy slid back into recession in the first quarter, putting Denmark among Europe’s laggards.

Economists widely expect second-quarter GDP data at the end of the month to show the economy recovering, but the government cut its forecast for growth this year to 1.3 percent on Wednesday from an earlier projection of 1.9 percent.

“Consumer confidence is shaky, and we do not know what growth initiatives will be agreed upon,” Nordea Markets global chief economist Helge Pedersen said. “So it will be good to get clarity — both for citizens and companies.”

Goll said: “The national economy will be the major theme in this election campaign — how to get growth back in Denmark.”

Rasmussen’s main challenger, Social Democrat leader Helle Thorning-Schmidt and her chief ally, the Socialist People’s Party leader Villy Sovndal, hope to form a majority coalition after a decade of minority government rule.

Margrethe Vestager, leader of the centrist Social-Liberal Party which has historically often played a kingmaker role, reiterated on TV2 News that she still favors Thorning-Schmidt to become the next prime minister.

If Thorning-Schmidt were elected, she would be Denmark’s first woman prime minister.