Danish election paves way for centrist government
POLITICONov 02, 2022
On Tuesday, the results of Denmark's general election provided a win for the incumbent Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and her Social Democratic party. The so-called "red bloc" secured two additional seats giving them the majority and the party's best results in more than two decades.
Exit polls from Tuesday night indicated that Frederiksen's five-party bloc was on track to lose the majority. However, when the last votes were counted on Wednesday morning, it became clear that the bloc had won 87 seats from the mainland and another three seats from the overseas territories of the Faroe Islands and Greenland — with a total of 90 seats, the bloc secured the majority.
This narrow victory for Frederiksen's government is a sign that Danes want a broad coalition government to guide Denmark through its many challenges. The PM has a new mandate to bring both sides of the aisle together to minimize chaos and safely navigate these uncertain times.
Although the election results are in, support for the Prime Minister remains uncertain. There's no doubt that Denmark needs a new government and, while there may be room for Frederiksen to spearhead that effort, confidence in her ability to lead has reached its end.