Denmark’s General Election Results
In a major setback for Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s Social Democratic Party, the recent general election showed significant voter dissatisfaction with the neoliberal coalition government. With no party achieving a clear majority, negotiations are now underway in Copenhagen to form a coalition, with smaller parties playing critical roles.
Over the past year, Frederiksen has garnered attention among anti-Trump leftists and pro-European Union supporters for her strong stance on Denmark’s authority over Greenland. Yet, this did not translate into electoral success. According to public broadcaster DR, Frederiksen’s party dropped 5.6 percentage points from the previous election in 2022, marking its worst proportional outcome since 1903. The coalition partner, the center-right Freedom Party, also experienced a decline, losing 3.2 percentage points.
The Social Democrats’ seats in Parliament decreased from 50 to 38, while the Liberals fell from 23 to 18 and the Moderates dropped from 16 to 14. Consequently, Frederiksen stepped down on Wednesday after the coalition couldn’t maintain its majority.
On the other hand, the populist Danish People’s Party made significant gains, led by former MEP Morten Messerschmidt. His strong anti-immigration message resonated with voters, resulting in 11 seats for the party and a 6.5 percentage point increase in their vote share from 2022, with support rising across all 92 constituencies.
Messerschmidt has been vocal about immigration, suggesting that action is necessary to avoid substantial demographic changes within Denmark. A study earlier this year warned that if current trends continue, the number of immigrants or their descendants could surpass those of Danish descent by 2096. The Danish People’s Party has emphasized the critical nature of the next decade in addressing this trend.
Following the election, Messerschmidt asserted his intention to position his party as the primary opposition against Lars Lökke Rasmussen, the Foreign Minister and leader of the Moderate Party. He vowed to challenge Rasmussen relentlessly.
Rasmussen finds himself in a powerful role as a potential kingmaker for the next coalition government, even as his own party lost some ground. He is inclined towards forming a bipartisan coalition similar to the current government, but the Social Democrats, Freedom Party, and Moderates lack sufficient seats—90 are needed to govern.
Given some parties’ hesitance to partner across the spectrum, Rasmussen’s 14 seats might align with either a left-leaning or conservative coalition. The dominance of the Red Bloc and the Social Democrats’ status as the largest party may give them an edge in negotiations with moderates.
Should a Red-Moderate coalition emerge, it may tilt Copenhagen leftward, particularly on environmental issues and green policies, especially in light of the growing presence of parties like the Green Left. Issues like pig farming, a significant industry in Denmark, have raised concerns regarding the country’s drinking water quality and became focal points during the campaigns.
