Copenhagen is preparing for a historic political shift. The Social Democrats, the party of Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, could be on course to lose control of Copenhagen’s city hall for the first time in more than a century. Since the current electoral system was introduced in 1938, the party has completely ruled the capital. Its political influence is undeniable – every lord mayor since 1849 has come from it. Recent federal court rulings show that the decades-old rule could soon be history.
Her hardline policies on citywide integration and immigration have stoked resentment among other residents of increasingly blue, anti-immigrant Copenhagen. Her short-lived government had introduced a controversial new asylum and migration policy, criticized as draconian even before its implementation. Therefore, most Danish citizens impacted by these repeated measures feel tired and irritated by the Social Democrat’s policies.
Political commentators interpret the upcoming election as an expression of widespread dissatisfaction with Frederiksens’s government. Peter Thisted Dinesen, a political science professor at the University of Copenhagen, noted, “There is maybe a bit of fatigue with the Social Democrat government.” Frederiksen’s anti-elite messaging has pushed away voters in urban areas. Once this sentiment spreads, support for the party will begin to tank.
In the last few years, the Social Democrats have drifted rightwards. In a baffling reversal, critics say their favored positions on integration and environmental policy today completely align with a new right-wing populism. Karoline Lindgaard stated, “The Social Democrats have shifted rightward politically, becoming a rightwing populist party on agendas such as integration, unemployment support and the environment.” Yet this change has led to a perception that the party has “betrayed the city.” This impression was only reinforced by the grace departure of the long-standing lord mayor, Frank Jensen, in 2020.
Nevertheless, as the election nears, the Left is surging, with other parties such as the Green Left, the Red-Green Alliance, and the Alternative registering considerable support. Experts predict that these parties will soon unseat the Social Democrats in Copenhagen. Pressure is mounting on Frederiksen’s party. Their waning success at the national level may soon have a direct effect on local candidates.
Frederiksen’s close ties to Pernille Rosenkrantz-Theil, the Social Democrat candidate for mayor, add a personal dimension to this political landscape. They are pals and co-owners of a beach house. Their close relationship is unlikely to save them from voter wrath as frustration grows with the status quo.
Urban specialists have cautioned that the Social Democrats’ policies could worsen some of the West’s long-standing urban problems. Lindgaard remarked, “They are on track to worsen the housing crisis, fail the city’s climate goals and further a car-centric urban paradigm.” The impact of these policies may be felt at the polls as they shape voter turnout and candidate preferences in the November election.