Denmark’s Frederiksen has successfully secured a third term as prime minister
Denmark’s Social Democratic leader Mette Frederiksen announced on Monday that she has reached an agreement to form a centre-left coalition government, thereby preserving her hold on power during a period of strained relations with U.S. President Donald Trump regarding the future of Greenland.
The agreement to establish a minority cabinet secures Frederiksen a third consecutive term as prime minister, concluding months of uncertainty following a March election in which 12 parties gained seats in the Danish parliament. “I have met with His Majesty the King and announced that a government can be formed after extensive negotiations,” Frederiksen informed reporters.
Her centrist coalition lost its majority in the March 24 vote as Danes expressed their dissatisfaction over a cost-of-living crisis. However, the Social Democratic Party continued to be the largest group in parliament, holding 38 out of 179 seats, a decrease from 50.
After more than two months of negotiations, during which the Social Democrats and the right-wing Liberals vied for leadership of a new government, it was the 48-year-old Frederiksen who garnered the essential support from parliamentary parties. “It is a government platform for the people who are in Denmark and for the generations to come and also for the animals,” she stated.
Animal welfare emerged as one of the key issues discussed during the election campaign.
The government’s overall priorities will be presented on Tuesday, while ministers will be named on Wednesday, Frederiksen stated.
The government’s immediate agenda includes diplomatic discussions regarding Greenland, which Trump has threatened to annex, alongside a swift enhancement of Denmark’s military as security in Europe worsens due to Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Alongside the Social Democrats, the new government will include the Social Liberals, the Left Greens, and the centrist Moderates, primarily depending on the far-left Red-Green Alliance for a parliamentary majority, while also having the option to seek support from other parties on specific votes.
The new government signifies a leftward shift for Frederiksen, who over the past four years led an unconventional coalition that spanned the left-right divide, involving her Social Democrats, the Moderates, and the Liberals.
