Denmark: Frederiksen secures narrow victory
After a nerve-wracking election night, Social Democrat and incumbent Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen was able to secure a last-minute majority for her centre-left bloc. Although her party won the most votes, Frederiksen handed in her resignation on Wednesday in a bid to forge a broad government alliance with various other parties. The national press takes stock.
Will this be a turning point?
Politiken calls for a new climate policy:
“First of all, we must hope that Denmark's future government can become a symbol of a turning point in Danish politics. A pivotal moment that our children and grandchildren will look back on in 50 years and say that the Danish Parliament understood exactly then - on 1 November - that the climate crisis is so severe that it requires the highest level of popular legitimacy and political decision-making power with a centrist government. One in which politicians put aside party political interests and personal ambitions. .. If this succeeds, Mette Frederiksen will leave a truly significant mark in Danish political history.”
The Danes want something new
An extraordinary election has come to an end, comments Jyllands-Posten:
“Mette Frederiksen repeated last night that she wants a government in the centre. She has all options open and stands strong with the backing of an intact centre-left bloc majority, yet the situation seems unclear for now. ... But regardless of what happens next, it is fair to describe the election as absolutely extraordinary. Brand new parties have stormed onto the scene, old parties in power have suffered major losses, and the number of parties in the Folketing is at a record high [at twelve]. Now it's the Social Democrats, and then all the others. The election reflects a landslide in Danish politics. The Danes really want something new.”
The opposition has failed
Berlingske criticises the conservative bloc for failing to capitalise on the mink scandal:
“It is sad for Denmark that the prime minister's leadership, which has caused disasters like the mink scandal under the guise of strength and determination, can now continue for the most part unchallenged. ... But this is the will of the voters, and it should prompt profound introspection in the conservative bloc on why it wasn't able to attract more voters just a few months after the Mink Commission's scathing criticism of the social democratic government's exercise of power.”