"If you can pick up a shovel, you can integrate"

Last Week in Denmark (15.03-22.03) Episode 10 Year 6

What did we learn this week?

1. Parliamentary elections on March 24. Our mini guide has everything you need to know about what’s at stake, even if you can’t vote.

2. Denmark won its first-ever Oscar for Best Documentary for “Mr. Nobody against Putin”.

3. Gas and oil prices will keep rising as long as the war in Iran continues, with clear impacts on daily life.

Letter from the editor

These past few weeks, my connection to life here has felt shaken. Whenever my mind slows down, one question keeps coming back. Is there really a future for my children here? And more importantly, is it worth exposing them to hardship just to prove a point? I believe this country will eventually accept its multicultural reality, but getting there may take longer than we expect, especially when so many of us remain politically passive.

People often say you should open your eyes to what’s happening around you. That may be true, but do it gently. Otherwise, it can feel like an emotional roller coaster. When you hear phrases like “pick up a shovel or go home” repeated enough times, it starts to wear you down.

Parliamentary campaigns are tough for internationals. In the race to capture the 22% of the voters that clearly do not want us here, political parties push the boundaries of the imaginable and create extreme instability for families. For me, every time we have such an election, my heart nearly stands still, to see what parties will get in power and how our next four years will look.

So, grab your popcorn for Tuesday night, March 24, when we will see the first results. Likely by the next day we will have an idea who will govern Denmark until 2030.

Want to know where the parties stand on citizenship, integration, English-language programs, and residence? Here’s a mini guide:

Alternativet (Greens) - Very positive towards internationals. Want to reform the citizenship law by having “education” count towards the “work years” requirement. They want a complete reversal of the 2021 cuts of English-language programs and to shut down the asylum centers and allow asylum seekers to work.

Enhedslisten (Red-Green Alliance) - Very positive towards internationals. Want to give automatic citizenship to young people born and raised in Denmark. They also want to introduce a mandatory “ethnic personal policy” for all public workplaces to ensure staff reflects the diversity of the local population.

Moderaterne (Social Liberals) - Positive towards internationals, especially EU citizens. Their motto is “Denmark is too small to speak only Danish”. They are big supporters of EU workers and want to make it easier for them in Denmark. They want to remove “waiting times” for citizenship, which they see as an administrative failure. Strong supporters of bringing back the English-language education programs. They also want to move learning Danish from classrooms to workplaces.

Radikale Venstre (Social Liberals) - Very positive towards internationals. The most “open-to-the-world” party. They also want to reverse the 2021 cuts on English-language education programs and make specific master programs free for non-EU students. They want to give asylum seekers the right to work. In regards to citizenship, they want to reduce waiting times and remove “symbolic requirements” like the handshake ceremony.

SF (Green Left) - Positive towards internationals. They want young people who completed a Danish education to have a “fast-track” to citizenship and to remove crazy rules from the legislation. They support the English-language programs but they want them combined with mandatory Danish language courses and automatic two-year job-search permit. They also want us to resume taking quota refugees.

Socialdemokratiet (Social Democrats) - Ambivalent towards internationals. They do not want to change the citizenship law. Are positive towards English-language programs but only in specific fields and outside of the big cities. They believe that integration happens through labor. They focus on deportations to keep right-wing parties from stealing their voters.

Venstre (Liberals) - On the plus side, they support English-language programs — though mainly outside Copenhagen — and propose limiting SU (monthly student grant) for EU students who do not commit to staying at least three years after graduation. On the other hand, they want to complicate citizenship by adding “value screening” to filter out “anti-democratic attitudes” and to prepare Ukrainian refugees to return home.

Liberal Alliance (Liberal Conservatives) - As a positive, they support English-language programs (however in specific sectors only) and want to remove the salary threshold for non-EU workers (as long as they pay for their own private health insurance). But, they want to make citizenship harder to get by screening for anti-democratic values, increasing application fees and requiring more years of work (5-8 years up from 3.5 years). Also, they want EU citizens to only be eligible for Danish benefits after 5 years of work and to revoke residence from any non-citizens who are unemployed for more than three months.

Konservative (Conservatives) - As a positive, they support English-language programs (however in specific sectors outside of big cities). Yet, they perceive Danish citizenship to be a “sacred gift” and prefer assimilation over integration. They want to add mandatory screening for anti-democratic values and a ten-year probationary period for new citizens. Also, EU citizens who cannot find work after three months should be sent back home and only Danish-speakers should have access to benefits.

DD (Nationalist Populist) - Their motto is “if you can pick up a shovel, you can integrate.” They propose a mandatory 37-hour work week for all unemployed immigrants. They want to review all citizenship granted in the past ten years and add mandatory values screening for new applications, which should contain official recognition of Israel. They also want a ten-year probationary period for new citizens. And they want to send Ukrainian refugees home.

DF (Nationalist Conservative) - They aim to reduce the amount of non-ethnic Danes living in Denmark. Their proposals include reviewing all citizenships granted in the past 20 years, and requiring those who became citizens in the past eight years to retake the Danish language and citizenship tests, along with a mandatory personal interview with a police officer. They also want to ban applicants from Muslim-majority countries, remove English-language programs, ban public displays of religion, send Ukrainian refugees home and force unemployed non-Western immigrants to perform physical labor.

Borgernes Parti (Anti-Establishment) - Their motto is “Assimilation or Repatriation”. They want to ban muslims from getting citizenship and make it possible to remove citizenship. Also, they want to exclude international students from SU, the student grant.

Thank you for reading and sharing Last Week in Denmark!

Narcis George Matache, Executive Editor, LWID

Our long-form articles this week…

1. What if diagnosis is not the end of the story? By Florina Lungu.

2. The Little Viking is experiencing an immersive reset. By Emily Ritchie

3. The Street Art Mystery Hiding Among Copenhagen’s Walls . By Daniel Sfita.

Want to dig deeper into the latest news? Check out the Last Week in Denmark podcast. New episodes drop on all podcast apps and YouTube every Wednesday. Follow us now so you don’t miss it.

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Image(s) of the Week

📸 Harbors clogged with sand after unusual winter winds. A rare wind has pushed large amounts of sand and debris into harbors along the east coast, leaving some entrances dangerously shallow for boats. In some places, water depth dropped to around 1.5 meters, forcing urgent dredging before the sailing season begins.

Danish Politics HQ

Law proposals

🪖 Parties demand a clear plan for defense spending. Several parties across parliament are calling for a full strategy for rebuilding the military, arguing that the 356 billion DKK spent so far has been too fragmented and reactive. They want a long-term “master plan” similar to models in Norway and Sweden, instead of buying equipment piece by piece. Troels Lund Poulsen says such a strategy is already prepared but delayed by the election, making it one of the first major tasks for the next defense minister.

Political scene

🗳️ Vanopslagh’s cocaine admission splits voters. A new poll shows people are almost evenly divided on whether Liberal Alliance (Liberal Conservatives) leader Alex Vanopslagh’s past cocaine use affects his ability to become prime minister, with 42% viewing it negatively and 45% saying it makes no difference. The impact is strongest among older voters, while younger groups are more forgiving. Despite criticism from several parties, support for Liberal Alliance remains stable at around 11%, suggesting the controversy has not significantly shifted voter support so far.

📊 Voters shift from Inger Støjberg’s DD (Nationalist Populist) to DF (Nationalist Conservative). A new poll shows Danmarksdemokraterne losing support, dropping to around 6%, while Dansk Folkeparti rises sharply to about 9.5%, suggesting a comeback after its poor 2022 result. Analysts say the shift likely comes from voters returning to DF, with nearly one in five former Støjberg voters now backing the party. With the election approaching, the right-wing bloc remains tightly contested, and these movements could prove decisive.

⛽ Venstre (Liberals) wants cheaper fuel for drivers. Venstre proposes cutting petrol and diesel taxes to the EU minimum for the rest of 2026, which could lower prices by around 2.50 DKK per liter for petrol and 1.80 for diesel. The move comes as global tensions push energy prices up and aims to ease pressure on households, though it would cost the state about 3.5 billion DKK. If passed, the proposal would need to be implemented by a new government.

Latest on Greenland

🪖 Denmark prepared for worst-case scenario in Greenland. What was presented as a military exercise was in reality a serious contingency plan, where authorities prepared to destroy runways and potentially shift to guerrilla-style resistance if an invasion happened. Soldiers were deployed with live ammunition, extra blood supplies were flown in, and standing orders allowed them to fight without waiting for political approval.

• Government says Greenland tensions are still serious. The prime minister confirmed that the US interest in taking control of Greenland has not disappeared, even as negotiations are now ongoing.

🛡️ Politicians call for stronger European defense after Greenland crisis. Following revelations that authorities prepared to resist a potential invasion, several party leaders now say Europe must be able to defend itself without relying on the US. The crisis has shaken trust in the transatlantic alliance, even if cooperation continues for now. Across the political spectrum, there is growing support for closer European and Nordic defense ties, with some warning that dependence on the US is no longer sustainable.

Read more: Greenland, Denmark & the US - A Historical Timeline

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Daily Life in Denmark HQ

🎬 First Danish documentary to win an Oscar. The film Mr. Nobody Against Putin” has made history as the first Danish-produced documentary to win an Academy Award. It follows a Russian teacher documenting growing militarization in schools after the Ukraine invasion. The win puts Denmark on the global film map in a new category after years of nominations. At the same ceremony, Danish-linked director Joachim Trier also won for best international film.

🎓 More students choose welfare careers. New application data shows a 5% increase in people applying to study nursing, pedagogy and social work, with social worker applications jumping by 18%. This is a positive shift after years of decline, but unions warn it is still far from enough to fix staff shortages in schools and care services.

🌱 Gardening without digging is gaining popularity. A growing number of people are trying a “no-dig” method where compost and plant waste are layered on top of soil instead of digging it. The approach helps the soil retain water, reduce weeds and better handle extreme weather, from heavy rain to dry summers. While it takes some effort to set up, it requires less maintenance over time. For many, it is a more climate-friendly and low-effort way to grow vegetables at home.

🎨 Small painting sells for big surprise price. A small work by artist Anna Ancher sold for 825,000 DKK at auction, far above its initial estimate of 100,000 to 150,000. The strong bidding reflects growing international interest in her work and in female artists from the early 1900s. Experts say the attention has increased in recent years, especially after a major exhibition in London.

🪑 Benches meant to improve streets spark backlash. Residents in central Copenhagen are calling for the removal of newly installed benches placed on former parking spots, saying they attract late-night noise and litter. While the benches were meant as a temporary step toward greener urban spaces, locals say weekend disturbances have worsened and disrupted sleep. Some politicians now support removing them, but no final decision has been made.

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Danish Economics HQ

State of the markets

⛽ Energy prices surge after Middle East attacks. Oil jumped nearly 9% and gas more than 25% after drone strikes hit major energy facilities in Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, creating market panic. Although prices have eased slightly, experts warn the situation remains unstable and could have long-lasting effects if supply is disrupted. For us, this could soon mean higher fuel and heating costs, as global energy shocks quickly feed into everyday expenses.

🏡 Summer homes put pressure on home care services. Municipalities with many holiday houses are preparing for a surge in demand as people receiving care bring their needs with them on vacation. In Odsherred, authorities are trying new approaches like recruiting staff via SMS, but still expect shortages during the summer. For internationals working in care, this highlights seasonal job opportunities.

🥤 First new stock market listing in three years. A juice company from Slagelse plans to go public this summer, marking the first IPO in Denmark since 2022. The move comes as concerns grow about weak investment in local businesses and a shrinking stock market, with far fewer listed companies than before. Experts hope this could inspire more entrepreneurs to follow.

⚡ Denmark’s power grid is full, and green projects are being delayed. Hundreds of energy projects are now on hold because the electricity network cannot handle more demand, meaning data centers and factories may have to wait years to connect. Some businesses also cannot switch from gas to electricity, slowing the green transition. Experts say political prioritization is now needed.

Entrepreneurship

Do you still spend time on upskilling when you already have a job? Together with Aalborg Institute of Development, we are developing a project to convince companies to integrate learning spaces and motivate employees to engage in upskilling. Help us by completing this survey.

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International Community HQ

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Community Noticeboard

🥤International Easter Fair 📍Ostre Boulevard 10, Aars | Saturday, March 28, 12:00 - 16:00 | Read more

🌍Parenting Across Cultures 📍Café Sweet Surrender, Copenhagen | Tuesday, March 24, 10:00-11:30 🔗 More here

📚Friday Guided Tours – UN City Copenhagen📍51 Marmorvej 2100 København | 🗓 Various dates, starts at 2pm 🔗 Find out more and check availability here

📊The Danish Tax System – Q&A Webinar 📍Online (International House Copenhagen) | 🗓 Thursday March 26, 16:30–18:00 🔗 Find out more here

➕ Hosting something relevant to internationals in Denmark? Send it to us at noticeboard@lwid.dk

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Denmark in Global Headlines

🚢 “Denmark pushes for EU-wide response on Strait of Hormuz” – Reuters

💊 “Danish PM candidate admits to cocaine use” – Politico

👑 “Danish royals’ Australian visit blends symbolism and soft power” – The Guardian

🐖 “War, Trump and… pigs dominate Denmark’s election” – Euractiv

🛡️ “Canada and Nordic Five unite to protect Arctic sovereignty” – BNN Bloomberg

🛢️ “Fuel crisis pushes Denmark and Asia to rethink remote work” – ScandAsia