Your guide to The Local’s Danish election coverage

We’ll be covering the election closely on November 1st, including a live blog of exit polls and results as they come in this evening, so keep an eye on our website for all the latest developments.

How could the election change life for foreigners?

In contrast to previous elections, immigration has taken a back seat for much of the 2022 campaign. This is mainly because the majority of parties – left and right – now broadly agree on strict rules for asylum, immigration and citizenship.

We have, however, had a couple of chances to ask a minister and an expert about ways in which the current election, or its outcome, might bring about a change for foreigners in Denmark.

There has also been some discussion of how Denmark’s strict citizenship rules have the potential to harm democracy in the country.

• Social Democratic plan ‘could attract’ foreign workers to Danish health sector
• Could Denmark’s election result affect work permit and citizenship rules?
• Danish citizenship rules ‘partly to blame’ with one in seven in Copenhagen unable to vote
• How citizenship rules affect voting rights in the Nordic countries

Election pledges and party comparisons

Denmark has 13 parties in parliament and another outside of parliament running in the election. Such a high number does not make it easier to find out what they each stand for.

If you’re interested in reading more on the election pledges of each party in this election, have a look at these articles.

• The key election platforms for Denmark’s 13 parties: Part one
• The key election platforms for Denmark’s 13 parties: Part two
• The 13 (or is it 14?) political parties running in Denmark’s election

Policy announcements

For a more granular look at some of the policies presented by individual parties during their election campaigns, we have a series of news articles:

• What is in Danish government’s plan for public sector pay?
• Denmark’s Conservatives want to deport foreign reckless drivers
• Danish party wants cheaper tickets on public transport
• Denmark’s Moderates propose temporary pay rise for health workers
• Do Danish conservative parties support refusal of carers who wear the hijab?

Our weekly roundups of the election news also provide a summary of policy announcements – as well as debates and talking points from the campaign.

• Denmark elects: The political news from the final week of the election campaign
• Denmark elects: The political news from the third week of the election campaign
• Denmark elects: The political news from the second week of the election campaign
• Denmark elects: The political news from the first week of the election campaign

Bloc politics

The established ‘bloc’ system in Danish politics, which groups the right and left-wing parties into opposing factions, is not entirely straightforward. Further complicating things in this election is the possible break with this system caused by the emergence of a new centrist party, the Moderates, led by former Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen.

In the event of a very close election, the election could even be decided by voters in autonomous territories the Faroe Islands and Greenland.

Have a look at these explainers and articles with the latest information.

• ‘Bloc politics’: A guide to understanding parliamentary elections in Denmark
• Three candidates for PM in Denmark, and one wild card
• Frederiksen wants centre coalition for Denmark’s next government
• Government with Social Democrats is favoured choice of rival ex-PM Rasmussen
• Why Faroe Islands and Greenland could decide Danish election result

Polls

If you want to see how the polls have trended in the lead-up to the election – and what that could mean for the result – have a look at the articles below.

It should be noted that poll directors do not expect the actual results to match polls exactly, and that no-one really knows how the cards will fall if neither bloc gains an overall majority.

• Final opinion poll suggests no clear majority in Denmark’s 2022 election

• How close could Denmark’s election be?
• Election 2022: Danes head to the polls with outcome in balance
• Denmark’s Moderates continue surge with one week until election
• Denmark’s former PM Rasmussen on course for election surprise in poll
• What do latest polls tell us about Danish election race?
• Danish ‘red bloc’ has narrow lead in first poll since election announced 

Controversies and credibility

One party has been accused of antisemitism, another may have illegally broadcast TV ads and all parties could be guilty of distracting drivers with their election placards.

All parties will have wanted to avoid major credibility issues: the Danish system means they are likely to be punished for it, according to an expert.

• Danish far-right party accused of antisemitism over elderly care remarks
• A dent in political credibility can cost parties in Denmark thousands of votes, researcher warns
• Do Denmark’s election placards distract drivers?
• Danish party’s historic TV ad ‘possibly illegal’