Last Week in Denmark (05.05-12.05) Episode 16 Year 4
Welcome home; Cycling makes you smarter
Editor HQ
State of Denmark
“Many internationals bought a house in the city, and if they had not done so, we would have had an incredible number of older houses standing empty, so this is a big plus for the city, business life and the school.” Peter Hansen, local leader Outrup (Varde, South Denmark)
At the same time, in another part of Denmark, Dræby (Kerteminde, Fyn), local associations “fear invasion from international workers” who “do not contribute to the local community” and would like “worker villages” to be created outside of the city.
One thing needs to be made clear: we are in a period of transition in Denmark. The society here is changing to accommodate its new demographics and it will continue to change in the future (as it has always done; it's just our memory is generally short). People react differently to the changes in society and unfortunately, excesses might appear from both sides.
Luckily, the calls for assimilation or for establishing “special zones” outside of the cities for international workers, which sincerely remind us of ill-fated times, are countered by positive statements coming from local communities which have already embraced their new diverse identities. The road ahead is going to be difficult to navigate, but with every international and Dane that decides to embrace a bridge-building mentality, we get a step closer to the future of Denmark - a home of many people.
In internal affairs, we are coming to Esbjerg (a long way from home) on May 25th, and we hope to see as many of you as possible. Also, we are still looking to visit a socio-economic business or organization in Copenhagen :) (if you know one, tell us lastweekdk@gmail.com)
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Word of the Week
Finanslov = State budget. Every December, a law is passed that determines how the government will spend public money in the following year. Usually, the government presents a draft proposal in September, which is then debated and negotiated in Parliament. There needs to be a majority for the law; otherwise, the Prime Minister needs to resign and call for elections.
Quiz
Danish Politics HQ
Weekly political overview
Don’t know who to vote for in the European Parliament elections on June 9th? Take the candidate test to see which candidates have opinions similar to yours. You can also listen to some of the candidates on our podcast, #VOTEHOME.
After it was discovered that a GP (general practitioner) prescribed one person enough Ozempic diabetes medicine for 27 years (clearly to be sold on the black market), the Danish Medicines Agency ordered pharmacies to not allow people to claim more than a year’s worth of Ozempic at once.
Venstre (Liberals), the former leader party of the blue block, who only a couple of years ago had enough support among the population to rival the Social Democrats, is facing an identity crisis. Currently in sixth place in the opinion polls, they have to balance being part of the government with the Social Democrats, while catering to their voters. A possible solution is if Mette Frederiksen finds a job at the international level and another Social Democrat like Nicolai Wammen becomes prime minister. Why? He isn’t hated by Venstre voters.
What’s the difference between Venstre (Liberals) and Liberal Alliance (Liberal Conservatives)? At the European level, Venstre is part of the liberal group Renew Europe, while Liberal Alliance is part of the conservative group EPP. Two major themes that split the parties are gender quotas and paternity leave (Venstre is in favor, while Liberal Alliance is against).
Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Foreign Minister and leader of Moderaterne (Social Liberals), will publish a book on May 15th called “Befrielsens Pris.” So what? A politician writing a book is nothing new. Well, last time he published a book in 2019, he shocked everyone with the idea of a government across the center between the Social Democrats and Liberals - which became reality three years later.
Focus
11.5% of 9th grade students did not pass Danish and/or mathematics in 2023: A significant increase from 8.6% in 2019. However, if you look at Denmark’s geography, you will notice that in some municipalities the situation is critical (Lolland - 34%; Ringsted - 26.4%; Bornholm - 25.5%; Odsherred - 24.8%; Vordingborg - 23.2%) while in others it’s quite okay (Gentofte - 2.3%; Allerød - 3.9%; Dragør - 4.1%; Hørsholm - 4.3%; Rudersdal - 4.6%). You can see how the map looks here.
The government allocated 500 million DKK to the public schools to deal with this situation. Each school will receive funding to provide extra support in the two subjects for the 10% academically weakest students.
Denmark and Sweden signed a defense cooperation agreement: the two countries will patrol the airspace in the Baltic Sea region together, meaning that you will see Swedish planes in Denmark and Danish planes in Sweden. The agreement gives access to each other's airspace and bases for the benefit of the NATO alliance. Another agreement on Navy collaboration is expected soon.
The two countries also intend to purchase military equipment together, like CV90 infantry fighting vehicles (IKK).
Danish Economics HQ
0.8% inflation rate in April: The inflation rate remains steadily under the European Central Bank stability target of 2%. In fact, inflation would have been even lower, if not for increases in rent and service prices (2.9%). Goods are 1.5% cheaper on average compared to April last year. This is good news for people with bank loans, as lower interest rates are quickly approaching.
New taxation rules for Øresund commuters from 2025: 17,000 people work in Denmark while living in Sweden, and 1,400 people work in Sweden while living in Denmark. As you can imagine, it can be difficult to navigate the taxation rules if you are in this situation. That’s why the two countries agreed to update the Øresund Agreement to simplify the taxation rules to benefit commuters.
Collectively, we spend 350,000 hours per work day waiting in traffic: In total, we wasted 80 million hours stuck in traffic in 2022, which corresponds to an economic loss of 31 billion DKK. You can see here the figures for each region. The most affected parts of Denmark are the Capital Region and Central Denmark. The least affected is North Denmark.
Due to an increase in fuel prices, the average speed on the roads has decreased.
Charging your car at public charging stations has become significantly cheaper than last year: Companies are queuing up to lower the electricity price at their public charging stations. In the past week alone, four of the largest providers have lowered their prices. This is happening at the same time as the prices of gasoline and diesel have increased in the past year. However, it is still cheaper to charge on a home charger - especially if you charge when electricity is the cheapest.
One of the reasons for the price drop is the increased competition in the public charging station market. More companies have entered the market and pushed the price down.
Entrepreneur’s corner
40,000 DKK for local associations that want to do outdoor activities: Until May 17th, you can apply to Friluftsrådet to fund the outdoor activities for your association. Their aim is to promote the population's opportunities to experience nature. You can apply for up to 40,000 DKK for your project. There is no co-financing required.
Opportunity for young entrepreneurs (15-29 years old): Join the incubator Wavemakers 1.0’s last two free workshops, Business Basics on May 20th and Storytelling/Networking on May 25th. Later, you can sign up for Wavemakers 2.0, which runs between May 16th and June 16th. See more details here.
If you are looking for a Marketing intern, join the matchmaking with digital coordinators in Aarhus: On Wednesday, May 15th, at 15:00, you can meet a potential marketing intern for your company. What makes this event different? All candidates have gone through a 3-week upskilling course with a focus on digital competencies.
Shoutout to Literaturhaus, an open cultural house that supports literature, theater and music from around the world, and hosts a volunteer-run book café in Copenhagen. They are looking for volunteers who enjoy cozy and creative environments. If interested, write to info@literaturhaus.dk
Daily Life in Denmark HQ
Insights into the Danish way of life
Glædelig mors dag! For Denmark, Mother’s Day is always celebrated on the 2nd Sunday of May, which this year falls on Sunday the 12th. This exact date is the same as the first-ever Mother’s Day in 1929, when officer Christian Svenningsen imported the celebration from the United States. Originally, the intention was to have a noble excuse to collect money for war widows and mothers who had lost children during the war.
Like in many other places, the typical gift from Danish children and partners is flowers. However, the nation has its own unique detail: since 1969, the Royal Copenhagen Porcelain Company, Bing & Grøndahl, has been producing a commemorative plate for Mors Dag. Each year, a new edition is released, typically containing a design of an animal and its young ones, paying tribute to the special bond between mother and child. This year, the design is a beaver hugging her cubs with her distinctive tail.
The rest of the year, mothers are “celebrated” by having children-oriented laws that encourage equality and balance. For example, each full-time working parent is entitled to 11 non-transferable weeks of parental leave, with another 26 weeks that can be shared. Depending on the circumstance, parents may also receive child benefits from the state, known as børnepenge.
Motherhood laws also put an emphasis on emotional support, and here’s where “mother groups” come into play. Aside from receiving regular visits from home nurses, new mothers are “matched” with other women who gave birth around the same time to facilitate support, company and friendships between women and babies. As language can be a barrier, hospitals typically bring international mothers together. The Danish Refugee Council is also currently working on organizing local groups specifically tailored to the needs of mothers who are new to Denmark.
Explainer
Say hello to the newest member of the Last Week in Denmark universe, the app. It was developed by Tudor Ciobanu, one of our volunteers from the Admin team. The app has three purposes: (a) to read the newsletter; (b) to listen to our podcasts c) to gamify your experience with us by completing missions for points that can be later redeemed for rewards.
If you have feedback, don’t hesitate to contact Tudor so that we can gather improvements for a second version.
The missions will be updated soon.
Weekly overview
Double rainbows last weekend. Check out the pictures here.
Follow-up on the salmonella outbreak. The source of the outbreak was discovered - minced beef from England sold by Hilton Foods in Dagli'Brugsen, SuperBrugsen, 365 Discount, Coop, Irma and Kvickly. The company recalled the minced beef and steaks from the shelves. How to avoid salmonella? Cook minced meat very well, wash hands before touching raw meat, do not allow raw meat next to other food items, and do not taste raw meat.
The troubles at Copenhagen Pride continue. More companies have withdrawn their support, like Google, Nykredit, DFDS and TUI. The political leader of Pride, Lars Henriksen, has resigned after 15 years in this position. Why the drama? In a February press release, it was stated that the organization “stands in solidarity with the Palestinian people” and that the organization would express to its partners “concerns about business activities in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories”. Companies withdrawing support have emphasized a wish for Pride to maintain its focus on LGBTQ+ rights, rather than expanding to other geopolitical issues.
Some doctors “forget” to report their pharma-sponsored trips. A new scandal is brewing in the healthcare world as it was revealed that some doctors forgot to report their Novo Nordisk-sponsored trip to the Netherlands to the Danish Medicines Agency. Now, it seems that the problem is larger than this one episode, and politicians are asking for stricter controls in this area.
Cycling makes you smarter. According to a Danish neuroscientist, using your body’s muscles increases your brain size. Why? When the body's muscles work, signals are sent to the brain that it needs to grow. This is perfect timing, as companies all over the country have recently signed up for the “We cycle to work” campaign.
The end of organized fishing in the Baltic Sea. The 141-year old fisherman’s association in Bornholm has decided to close down. Why? The number of fishing vessels went from 200 to 34 in the past few years, due to oxygen depletion and rising sea temperatures, which affect fish quality and quantity. For example, local cod is too small and parasite-infested to be fished.
According to an expert, it will take around 400 years to restore the marine environment in the Baltic Sea, if countries with access to the sea reduce their discharge of nitrogen by 30%.
Not so long ago, you could catch 400,000 tons of cod annually in the Baltic Sea. Today, the quantity is just 1,000 tons.
The group “Students Against Occupation” set up camp on the city campus of Copenhagen University. Why? They are part of the global student movement for Palestine and have chosen this way to protest after dialogue with the university failed to produce any results. What are they after? To get the University of Copenhagen to withdraw its multimillion DKK investments in companies with activities in illegal settlements in Palestine.
European Union HQ
Europe This Week
Fears over NATO's credibility amid Russia's aggression prompt debate over a European nuclear umbrella. French President Macron's proposal gains traction in Germany, highlighting divisions ahead of the EU elections. With potentially wavering support in the U.S., Europe faces the need for defensive self-reliance, while debates on nuclear deterrence intensify.
Italy faces a population crisis with low birth rates and rapid aging, straining welfare and healthcare systems. Government initiatives aim to address the issue, but lack consensus. Calls for EU intervention highlight the severity of the challenge for Italy and the broader Western world. In the meantime, Pope Francis is stepping up his campaign to urge Italians to have more children.
Rights
European Solidarity Corps: If you are between 18 and 30, you can volunteer as an individual or as part of a team with the European Solidarity Corps in your home country or abroad. The European Solidarity Corps offers a wealth of volunteering opportunities in many different fields - from digital technologies, to health, the environment, and many more. You can also volunteer with the Corps for projects in the field of humanitarian aid if you are between 18 and 35.
Sign up for the European Solidarity Corps by registering online and indicating your preferred areas of work.
Opportunities
Free trip to Utøya (Oslo, Norway): Join a partnership-building activity to get to know each other and explore the possibility of making an international Erasmus+ project together. July 15-20. Deadline! May 19. Sign up here.
Free trip to KulturHaus (Bremen, Germany): Join the conference “The Get Together: Time for You - Stories, Connection, Reflection and Recharge”. August 26-30. Deadline! May 19. Sign up here.
Free trip to Trakai (Lithuania): Join the training course on digital competencies. July 4-10. Deadline! May 20. Sign up here.
*To join the training courses, you need to be a member of an association. If you are not, you can always join AMIS.
Announcement Board
Esbjerg, May 16, 16:30-18:00: Yoga, skateboarding, and parkour course for teens. Free entry. Sign up ahead.
Frederiksberg, May 23, 17:00-18:30: Free workshop with intercultural communications professional Kris Roppelt on “International colleagues in your team: how to interact and integrate”. Sign up here.
Aarhus, May 23, 17:00-19:00: Meet Your Club is a quarterly event where you’ll get to know more about the clubs and associations in Aarhus. So if you want to join a community, this is a great opportunity to get an intro.
Esbjerg, May 25, 11:00 - 14:00: Come and join the Last Week in Denmark delegation within the framework of the “EU Cafe” series of events. Free food and drinks, games with prizes, and a very interesting speaker. Sign up here.
International media about Denmark HQ
What Worries Denmark? - April 2024 (Ipsos)
Dano–Algerian War (Wikipedia)
Last Week in Denmark’s Universe
Read long-form articles on our website: How to learn Danish; Danish Business Culture; How to invest in Denmark; Guides for non-Europeans - I and II; How to negotiate your salary; Giving birth in Denmark - I and II; Pension in Denmark - I and II; Translator in Denmark and many other untold stories from the community.
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