The Week That Was, May 12th-18th 2025:
Politics/Economy:
The Danish Energy Agency (DEA) raised the threat level across all major energy sectors from green to yellow - marking a ‘medium’ risk - in response to the rising threat of sabotage and cyberattacks.
Just under two years after being frozen out of the Moderates party in 2023 following an inappropriate message to a 19-year-old member of the youth wing, Jon Stephensen was invited to begin attending the party’s internal meetings again - despite still not being a party member.
The government opened its doors to nuclear power following a forty year ban by announcing a wide-reaching probe into the feasibility of introducing new-generation reactors as part of the country’s green energy mix, but scientists warned that nuclear energy is too slow, too costly and too risky to play a meaningful role in the country’s green transition.
Lawyers will be held to stricter ethical standards following the Black Swan documentary that caught several practitioners on hidden surveillance cameras collaborating on widespread fraud such as money laundering, tax evasion, and VAT avoidance for millions of kroner.
Speaker of the House Søren Gade decided to stay on as chair of Esbjerg Harbour despite criticism over conflicts of interest and giving false information to parliament.
Mass surveillance bill sparked backlash from doctors and politicians who urged the government to strip health data from a bill that would give Danish Intelligence (PET) sweeping access to personal records.
Opposition parties accused the government of revealing favourable economic forecasts only when politically convenient after Finance Minister Nicolai Wammen declined to say whether the government would commit to publishing the budget forecasts at fixed, regular intervals.
EU/Foreign Affairs:
The government said Denmark can walk away from its new defence agreement with the U.S. if Washington tries to take control of Greenland.
Greenland applied to become an associate member of the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) under its own name, hoping to gain greater influence over global food policy.
The government and the Socialist People’s Party (SF) wanted to block the public from a key hearing on the agreed defence pact that would give U.S. forces access to military bases in Jutland and allow them to operate under American jurisdiction. However, a suggestion from Defence Committee chair Rasmus Jarlov to have a mix of open and closed sessions as a compromise received support across the political spectrum.
Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen deflected questions about Trump’s claim on Greenland but was quick to stress that ‘Washington is a friend of Europe and Denmark.’
Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said he was ‘outraged’ after Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said there was ‘no way’ Israel would halt its war on the Gaza Strip even if a deal is reached with Hamas to release more hostages.
The Greater Copenhagen Regional Authority was given the green light to invest in European arms manufacturers after a majority of the council approved a policy shift.
Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen dismissed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s proposal for direct talks with Ukraine as a stalling tactic, calling the Russian demands ‘totally unacceptable’ as they would require Ukraine to surrender territory, demilitarise, and abandon its NATO ambitions.
Former prime minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen issued a stern ‘hands-off Greenland’ warning to Donald Trump on the eve of the Copenhagen Democracy Summit.
Greenland’s foreign minister Vivian Motzfeldt pledged to prioritise diplomacy and cooperation after being appointed chair of the Arctic Council by Denmark.
Former Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen visited Christiansborg and met with Danish MPs over lunch, days after China demanded Denmark ‘stops providing a forum’ for supporters of Taiwan.
The U.S. considered transferring responsibility for its military presence in Greenland from its European command in Germany to homeland command (NORTHCOM) in the state of Colorado.
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told the U.S. ‘you can’t spy against an ally’ after a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) report alleged that U.S. intelligence agencies have been ordered to expand spying efforts in Greenland.
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen traveled to Thorshavn for Arctic security talks with the leaders of Greenland, the Faroe Islands, Iceland and Norway.
The EU has authorised Denmark to disburse €830m from frozen Russian assets to finance the purchase of weapons from Ukrainian manufacturers as part of the ‘Danish Model.’
Social Affairs:
The government decided to bar students from debating recognising Palestine as an independent state in next year’s school debate.
A new report from the Confederation of Danish Industry (DI) found that immigrants from predominantly Muslim countries are doing better in the labour market, with a 28% increase in employment since 2019.
A UNICEF report found that Denmark ranked as the second-best country in the world to grow up in, based on mental wellbeing, physical health, and educational skills.
The government proposed a ‘dignity reform’ that would exempt hard-core drug addicts from prosecution in an attempt to change how society treats people living with addiction, severe mental illness or homelessness.
Denmark and Italy joined forces to challenge the European Court of Human Rights' (ECHR) strict legal interpretation of migration issues, claiming the ECHR has gone too far in interpreting asylum laws on behalf of illegal migrants.
The government prepared to launch a crackdown on criminal and violent disorder, doubling the sentencing for serious assaults while penalties for simple assault would rise by 50%.
The Danish People’s Party (DPP) accused the government of political hypocrisy for proposals to tighten rules for expelled foreign nationals and others without legal residence almost identical to those the anti-migrant party put forward last month – and which the government already voted against.
Business:
The Green Youth Movement (Den Grønne Ungdomsbevægelse) occupied the offices of Maersk Tankers in Copenhagen with over 50 protestors focusing on the shipping giant’s alleged role in the climate crisis and Israel’s war crimes, led by world-famous Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg.
Copenhagen Airport posted a pre-tax profit of DKK 104 million ($15.6 million) in the first quarter, up from DKK 98 million ($14.7 million) last year, as passenger numbers rose 7% to 6.2 million.
Novo Nordisk tightened its grip on the booming weight-loss market with a new licensing agreement worth up to $2.2 billion (DKK 14.7 billion).
Energy giant Andel launched a public campaign warning against nuclear power, just as the government opened the door to studying its potential.
Shares in Novo Nordisk, Denmark’s biggest company, fell sharply, after Donald Trump signed a wide-reaching executive order directing pharmaceutical companies to lower the prices of their medicines in the U.S. to align with what other countries pay.
The Danish Energy Agency (DEA) raised the threat level across all major energy sectors from green to yellow - marking a ‘medium’ risk - in response to the rising threat of sabotage and cyberattacks.
Just under two years after being frozen out of the Moderates party in 2023 following an inappropriate message to a 19-year-old member of the youth wing, Jon Stephensen was invited to begin attending the party’s internal meetings again - despite still not being a party member.
The government opened its doors to nuclear power following a forty year ban by announcing a wide-reaching probe into the feasibility of introducing new-generation reactors as part of the country’s green energy mix, but scientists warned that nuclear energy is too slow, too costly and too risky to play a meaningful role in the country’s green transition.
Lawyers will be held to stricter ethical standards following the Black Swan documentary that caught several practitioners on hidden surveillance cameras collaborating on widespread fraud such as money laundering, tax evasion, and VAT avoidance for millions of kroner.
Speaker of the House Søren Gade decided to stay on as chair of Esbjerg Harbour despite criticism over conflicts of interest and giving false information to parliament.
Mass surveillance bill sparked backlash from doctors and politicians who urged the government to strip health data from a bill that would give Danish Intelligence (PET) sweeping access to personal records.
Opposition parties accused the government of revealing favourable economic forecasts only when politically convenient after Finance Minister Nicolai Wammen declined to say whether the government would commit to publishing the budget forecasts at fixed, regular intervals.
EU/Foreign Affairs:
The government said Denmark can walk away from its new defence agreement with the U.S. if Washington tries to take control of Greenland.
Greenland applied to become an associate member of the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) under its own name, hoping to gain greater influence over global food policy.
The government and the Socialist People’s Party (SF) wanted to block the public from a key hearing on the agreed defence pact that would give U.S. forces access to military bases in Jutland and allow them to operate under American jurisdiction. However, a suggestion from Defence Committee chair Rasmus Jarlov to have a mix of open and closed sessions as a compromise received support across the political spectrum.
Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen deflected questions about Trump’s claim on Greenland but was quick to stress that ‘Washington is a friend of Europe and Denmark.’
Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said he was ‘outraged’ after Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said there was ‘no way’ Israel would halt its war on the Gaza Strip even if a deal is reached with Hamas to release more hostages.
The Greater Copenhagen Regional Authority was given the green light to invest in European arms manufacturers after a majority of the council approved a policy shift.
Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen dismissed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s proposal for direct talks with Ukraine as a stalling tactic, calling the Russian demands ‘totally unacceptable’ as they would require Ukraine to surrender territory, demilitarise, and abandon its NATO ambitions.
Former prime minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen issued a stern ‘hands-off Greenland’ warning to Donald Trump on the eve of the Copenhagen Democracy Summit.
Greenland’s foreign minister Vivian Motzfeldt pledged to prioritise diplomacy and cooperation after being appointed chair of the Arctic Council by Denmark.
Former Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen visited Christiansborg and met with Danish MPs over lunch, days after China demanded Denmark ‘stops providing a forum’ for supporters of Taiwan.
The U.S. considered transferring responsibility for its military presence in Greenland from its European command in Germany to homeland command (NORTHCOM) in the state of Colorado.
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told the U.S. ‘you can’t spy against an ally’ after a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) report alleged that U.S. intelligence agencies have been ordered to expand spying efforts in Greenland.
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen traveled to Thorshavn for Arctic security talks with the leaders of Greenland, the Faroe Islands, Iceland and Norway.
The EU has authorised Denmark to disburse €830m from frozen Russian assets to finance the purchase of weapons from Ukrainian manufacturers as part of the ‘Danish Model.’
Social Affairs:
The government decided to bar students from debating recognising Palestine as an independent state in next year’s school debate.
A new report from the Confederation of Danish Industry (DI) found that immigrants from predominantly Muslim countries are doing better in the labour market, with a 28% increase in employment since 2019.
A UNICEF report found that Denmark ranked as the second-best country in the world to grow up in, based on mental wellbeing, physical health, and educational skills.
The government proposed a ‘dignity reform’ that would exempt hard-core drug addicts from prosecution in an attempt to change how society treats people living with addiction, severe mental illness or homelessness.
Denmark and Italy joined forces to challenge the European Court of Human Rights' (ECHR) strict legal interpretation of migration issues, claiming the ECHR has gone too far in interpreting asylum laws on behalf of illegal migrants.
The government prepared to launch a crackdown on criminal and violent disorder, doubling the sentencing for serious assaults while penalties for simple assault would rise by 50%.
The Danish People’s Party (DPP) accused the government of political hypocrisy for proposals to tighten rules for expelled foreign nationals and others without legal residence almost identical to those the anti-migrant party put forward last month – and which the government already voted against.
Business:
The Green Youth Movement (Den Grønne Ungdomsbevægelse) occupied the offices of Maersk Tankers in Copenhagen with over 50 protestors focusing on the shipping giant’s alleged role in the climate crisis and Israel’s war crimes, led by world-famous Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg.
Copenhagen Airport posted a pre-tax profit of DKK 104 million ($15.6 million) in the first quarter, up from DKK 98 million ($14.7 million) last year, as passenger numbers rose 7% to 6.2 million.
Novo Nordisk tightened its grip on the booming weight-loss market with a new licensing agreement worth up to $2.2 billion (DKK 14.7 billion).
Energy giant Andel launched a public campaign warning against nuclear power, just as the government opened the door to studying its potential.
Shares in Novo Nordisk, Denmark’s biggest company, fell sharply, after Donald Trump signed a wide-reaching executive order directing pharmaceutical companies to lower the prices of their medicines in the U.S. to align with what other countries pay.
Danish Krone Exchange Rate