Election day – Martin Krasnik looks back on the campaign

06/04/19 • 30 min

Today is election day, and Danes finally head to the polls after four weeks of campaigning. But what have we learned so far? And while the polls point at a left wing victory, do we really have any idea what sort of government we will get?
We speak to Martin Krasnik, editor-in-chief of conservative leaning Weekendavisen about why retirement and immigration are always the key issues in Danish elections, why no party has talked about fixing a tax authority that is riddled with scandal, and why it was right to call Rasmus Paludan a Nazi.
/Contact and feedback/
Please get in touch with feedback or ideas for future episodes. Are there any topics or issues in Danish society you want covering?
Email me: [email protected]
Otherwise you can find us on twitter, @thedanishdebate, or instagram, @the_danish_debate

Previous Episode

One week to go – Countdown to the general election

We take a quick look at the results of the European Parliament elections and discuss the winners, the losers, and the candidate who, despite winning one of Denmark’s coveted 14 seats, decided he never really wanted the job in the first place. 🤷🏻‍♂️

And we speak to Karina Kosiara-Pedersen, an Associate Professor at the Department of Political science at the university of Copenhagen about the lay of the land with just one week to go before the general election.
/Contact and feedback/
Please get in touch with feedback or ideas for future episodes. Are there any topics or issues in Danish society you want covering?
Email me: [email protected]
Otherwise you can find us on twitter, @thedanishdebate, or instagram, @the_danish_debate
Sound by Mads Jaeger.

Next Episode

The Left win but remain deeply divided

Denmark has moved to the left. With a turnout of 84.6 percent, the left wing won a large majority in the Danish parliament on Wednesday’s general election. The next prime minister is likely to be Mette Frederiksen, leader of the Social Democrats, who, with the support of 91 MPs, holds a 2 seat majority.

Lars Løkke Rasmussen, leader of the Liberal Party (Venstre) only has the support of 75 MPs, and has stepped down as PM to allow Frederiksen to try and form a government. But the drama is only just beginning. Forming a government with her three allies on the left is going to be a challenge. And just because the right wing lost power, it doesn’t mean they don’t see the election as a victory, of sorts.

I’ve absorbed all the news and analysis I can find after letting the dust settle. And I’ve whittled it down to four major headlines.
1. If you can’t beat them, join them
2. The left is split on immigration and economic policy
3. The Danish People’s Party are decimated
4. The right wing lost, but stand strengthened
5. A record number of votes were lost
To read the full article with GRAPHICS, click here, or follow this link: https://www.thedanishdebate.mothertongue.dk/home/episode-8-the-left-win-but-remain-deeply-divided
So what's next? Negotiations could take a few weeks, and in the meantime, there will be plenty of politics to discuss. How will the Left align on immigration? How will they raise money for their policies? And will voters be prepared to pay to realise their green vision?

This coming weekend I head to the political festival Folkemødet where I will be speaking to as many politicians, commentators and ordinary people that I can.

/Contact and feedback/
Please get in touch with feedback or ideas for future episodes. Are there any topics or issues in Danish society you want covering?
Email me: [email protected]
Otherwise you can find us on twitter, @thedanishdebate, or instagram, @the_danish_debate