Last Week in Denmark (15.11 - 21.11) Episode 39
Corona pass at the workplace; Results from the elections; Corona pills; SKAT on Mobile Pay
Public Health HQ
Status: 77,2% of the population has been vaccinated (4,535,368 people). 75,6% of the population received the second vaccine shot (4,436,345 people). 83,2% have received Pfizer/BioNTech; 12,4% Moderna; 3,4% AstraZeneca and 1% Johnson & Johnson. The region with the highest vaccination rate - North Denmark (79%).
Corona infection status: There is an average of 4000 new infected people every day. 378 people are hospitalized. The five municipalities with the highest rate of infection are: Fanø, Herlev, Hvidovre,Tårnby and Morsø. Check out more data here.
Travel Guidelines: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that the traffic light system of categorizing the countries has been abolished. From now on;
Fully vaccinated, previously infected and people with a negative test can enter Denmark without restrictions. If you are not vaccinated or previously infected and without a negative test, you must take one in Denmark in the first 24 hours.
Corona pills: Denmark will spend 450 million dkk on two new types of pills that can reduce the risk of serious illness if you are infected with the coronavirus. The pills are produced by Pfizer and Merck and are still awaiting approval from the EU Medicines Agency. The pills are not meant for prevention (like the vaccine is).
Ministry of Health announcements on Friday (19 November):
Corona passport is needed for those working in the public sector.
Christmas lunches (julefrokost) shouldn’t be cancelled, but kept in a safe way.
Quick corona tests for children going to school (down to first grade).
The Epidemic Committee is analyzing if negative tests should be valid for less time.
More schools will be closed in the next few weeks.
450,000 people will soon receive an invitation for a booster shot.
Next week, a law will be passed to allow private companies to also ask for a corona passport.
Danish Politics HQ
On 16th November (Tuesday) we had local and regional elections in Denmark. The results are as follows:
Socialdemokratiet (Social Democrats) (28,5%) - For more than 100 years, the Social Democrats have obtained the most votes in the local and regional elections. However, compared with 2017, the party has lost thousands of voters (especially in the four big cities). Leadership of 44/98 municipalities. Lost leadership of the North Denmark Region (after 100 years).
Venstre (Liberals) (21,1%) - The Liberals have also lost thousands of voters compared with 2017. Leadership of 36/98 municipalities.
Konservative (Conservatives) (15,2%) - The winners of this election round as they have doubled their voters, compared with 2017. However, they have lost the leadership of Frederiksberg (their stronghold since 1909 - now run by social democrats). The “Pape-effect” (the popularity of the party president, Søren Pape Poulsen) has contributed to the spectacular election result. Leadership of 12/98 municipalities. Victories in Aabenraa, Bornholm, Favrskov, Rudersdal, Kolding.
SF (Socialists) (7,6%) - The party has recovered the support lost in 2017. Leadership of 2/98 municipalities. Hvidovre added to the Socialist base.
Enhedslisten (Red-Green Alliance) (7,3%) - An increase in popularity compared to 2017. The most voted party in Copenhagen.
Radikale Venstre (Social Liberals) (5,6%) - One of the best elections in decades. Lost the municipality of Rebild and won instead Fanø.
DF (Nationalists) (4,1%) - Nightmare elections for the nationalists, as they lost half of the voters, compared with 2017. The party president has resigned and now the focus will switch internally, to find out the leader that can save the party. Also lost the one municipality where they had mayorship.
Nye Borgerlige (Libertarian-Nationalists) (3,6%)
Liberal Alliance (1,4%)
Kristendemokraterne (Christian-Democrats) (0,8%)
Alternativet (Greens) (0,7%)
Voting presence: 67,2% (Local) / 66,9% (Regional) - One of the lowest in history.
Observations:
19 women obtained the title of mayor. 8 more than in 2017. 873 women have obtained a seat in the local councils (35,9% of the total). 3% more than in 2017.
Since the regional councils creation in 2007, the Social Democrats have had the presidency of North Denmark Region Council. However, this time, the “blue” parties have obtained 21 seats out of 41 and have obtained the presidency. Ulla Astman has been replaced with Mads Duedahl.
Hard times ahead for prime-minister Mette Frederiksen, after several local and regional politicians from the Social Democrats, who lost the elections, pointed at her as the main reason.
As the results poured in, many candidates from the nationalists (DF) have chosen to resign their membership. The party is on its deathbed.
The Liberals (Venstre) managed to survive this election round, losing fewer votes than expected. However, the parliamentary elections will be the real test.
The five most popular local politicians in Denmark are: Christina Krzyzosiak Hansen (mayor of Holbæk - 46,5% of all votes) (youngest mayor in history), Birgit Stenbak Hansen (mayor of Frederikshavn - 40% of all votes), Kenneth Lundager Muhs (mayor of Nyborg - 33% of all votes), Michael Ziegler (mayor of Høje-Taastrup - 25% of all votes) and Steffen Jensen (mayor of Halsnæs - 25% of all votes).
Special words used during the election night
“Rævekage” aka “fox cake” symbolizes the deals made between parties before the elections that are not kept after the results have been announced. It means to be cunning. Check out here, three examples.
“De lange knives nat” aka “the long knives night” means that once the results are announced, nothing is off the table to obtain the power.
“Kongemager” aka “the king maker” are the small parties that have one or two seats that can give the leadership to one big party or another.
“Konstituering” is the process of distribution of power between the elected local and regional councilmen.
“Valgflæsk” are the empty promises made by some of the politicians. It also means fried pork.
“Kampen om kæderne” aka “the battle for the chains” is another saying about the negotiations between the parties on who should become mayor. The mayor in Denmark usually wears a centuries-old chain around its neck.
Danish Economy HQ
Explainer on “inflation” from DR - Learn in 6 minutes what is the “inflation” about, why are prices going higher and if we should be worried for the future.
“Forskudsopgørelsen” aka the advanced tax statement for 2022 is open. What should you pay attention to: “Kørselsfradrag” aka “driving deduction” (If you have more than 24 kilometres to and from work, you get a transport deduction - 26% of the cost); “A- og b-indkomst” aka “A and B income” (while A-income is automatic, B-income is your responsibility to report); “Håndværker- og servicefradrag” aka “Handworker and service deduction” (if you have permanent cleaning service hired or you renovated your house you can obtain back up to 20.000 dkk).
Mobile pay vs. Danish Tax Agency: SKAT aka the Danish Tax Agency has the permission to check mobile pay transfers when there are suspicions of “black money” aka unreported money earned on the side. More concrete, the Mobile Pay users that received more than 100.000 dkk in a year.
Heating package: The government allocated 100 million dkk for people affected by the rise in energy prices (pensioners; people under the poverty line; etc.). Read more here.
Reserve package: The parliament decided to allocate 850 million dkk from the reserve funds to the elderly, people with disabilities and those under the poverty line. Read more here.
The World in 2021 HQ
Belarus vs. Ukraine: Belarus suspends electricity supplies to Ukraine.
Ukraine vs. Russia: Boris Johnson (UK Prime Minister) stated that the Western countries need to choose between Russian gas and supporting Ukraine, as the Russian military increases its presence on the border with Ukraine.
European Union HQ
Belarus vs. European Union:
Belarus has hired hacker group Ghostwriter to launch disinformation campaigns in Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Ukraine.
The Belarussian army has given an ultimatum to migrants to either pass the border with Poland or die. In response, the migrants attempted to destroy the border fence and fight with the Polish border guards.
The crisis began in the early summer of 2021 when Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko threatened to introduce human traffickers, drug smugglers and armed migrants to Europe.
Later, Belarusian authorities and state-controlled tourist enterprises, together with some airlines operating in the Middle East, started promoting tours to Belarus by increasing the number of connections from the Middle East and giving those who bought them Belarusian visas, ostensibly for hunting purposes.
Russia vs. European Union:
Estonia is building a 40-kilometre-long razor-wire barrier along the border with Russia and has summoned 1700 reserve troops to the border.
The German energy regulator suspended the approval of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline from Russia. Immediately afterwards, the gas prices have increased 17%.
Bulgarian parliamentary elections: After the failed elections of April and July, the Bulgarians voted for a third time this year in November, for the Parliament. We Continue the Change won the most seats, although it was not a majority. Shortly after the election, they announced that coalition talks were going to be held.
Austria vs. corona pass: All unvaccinated people in Austria must enter into quarantine from 15th of November. From 1st of February 2022, vaccination will become mandatory.