Mette Frederiksen, Denmark's Trump-defying prime minister, seeks third term

• Summary

• Denmark will hold a general election on March 24

• Social Democrat Mette Frederiksen is seeking a third term as Prime Minister

• Greenland and Ukraine have increased Denmark’s international profile

• The center-left leader has faced criticism over the cost-of-living issues

• Asylum reforms have limited far-right influence but alienated some allies

COPENHAGEN, March 17 (Reuters) - Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has based her leadership on opposing U.S. President Donald Trump over Greenland. Convincing voters at home to give her a third term is becoming more difficult.

She heads into the March 24 general election betting that her firm stance on the Arctic island will outweigh growing doubts about her focus on Denmark’s cost-of-living crisis.

The Reuters Iran Briefing newsletter keeps you updated with the latest developments and analysis of the Iran war. Sign up here.

Frederiksen, whose Social Democrats suffered a historic defeat in last November’s municipal elections, has experienced a resurgence this year that could make her Denmark’s longest-serving leader since World War II if she wins another full term.

Support for the Social Democrats fell to 17% in December opinion polls, well below the 28% they received in 2022, but has recently rebounded to around 22%, amid what many Danes describe as a resolute handling of the Greenland dispute.

UNPOPULAR DECISIONS

Frederiksen, 48, entered parliament at age 24 and has led the Social Democrats since 2015, becoming Denmark’s youngest Prime Minister four years later and only the second woman to lead the country’s government.

She built much of her early career on defending Danish control over welfare, labor laws, and borders, while viewing deeper EU integration as a threat to sovereignty.

However, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and increasing uncertainty over U.S. security guarantees prompted her to shift. She dropped Denmark’s opposition to collective EU debt, supported joint defense procurement, and last year distanced herself from the fiscally conservative “Frugal Four,” stating that European unity has become a security necessity.

One of the most damaging episodes for Frederiksen was during the COVID-19 pandemic, when her government in 2020 ordered Denmark’s entire mink population to be culled over fears they could carry the virus.

A public inquiry later concluded that the move lacked legal basis and that Frederiksen and her government “grossly misled” the public, though it also found she was not personally aware that she overstepped her authority.

The mink scandal was not an isolated incident. Her government’s decision to abolish a public holiday to fund increased defense spending angered workers across the country.

Meanwhile, she has been accused of alienating political partners with a top-down leadership style and forming a coalition with the center-right despite a campaign promise in 2022 to pursue a left-leaning majority government.

She has sharply restricted immigration, especially from non-Western countries, which has slowed far-right rivals seeking to capitalize on discontent with asylum policies but has also alienated traditional left allies.

“People are really tired of her. She dominates Danish politics, yet she has changed her mind on everything—from being the most Eurosceptic Prime Minister Denmark has ever had to one of its most pro-European. That greatly damages voters’ trust,” said Noa Redington, a political analyst.

STRONG ABROAD, WEAKER AT HOME

The election will test support for a leader who has navigated a series of crises, including a global pandemic, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, drone incursions, sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines, and tensions with Washington over Greenland.

Each crisis has elevated Frederiksen’s international profile, even as some voters feel her attention is elsewhere.

If she wins and completes a full term, she will have been in office for nearly 11 years—the longest of any Prime Minister since fellow Social Democrat Thorvald Stauning, whose 15-year tenure ended in 1942.

Meanwhile, Frederiksen’s influence in European politics has grown steadily, as she rallied allies in support of Greenland and became one of Ukraine’s strongest supporters.

In 2023, Frederiksen was considered a potential candidate for NATO Secretary-General, and Danes continue to wonder whether she will eventually serve abroad.

“There’s a bit of a farewell tour feel to all this. If she is re-elected, her entire third term will be dominated by the question of when she will leave. Nobody believes she will serve a full term again,” said Redington.

Reporting by Soren Jeppesen, additional reporting by Stine Jacobsen, editing by Terje Solsvik and Alex Richardson

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Suggested Topics: Europe

Share

X | Facebook | LinkedIn | Email | Link