Last Week in Denmark (18.06 - 25.06) Episode 24 Year 3
Flag freedom; Mail delivery; Summer plans
Editor HQ
Listen to the “Last Week in Denmark” podcast on Spotify, Apple podcast, Amazon Music, Podcast Index, Podcast Addict, Podchaser and Deezer. The podcast is produced by Wizmedia and co-hosted with radio journalist Wizzi Magnussen.
The podcast is a news commentary on five topics from today’s newsletter. This is the first episode, so please be kind with me :) I promise that it will get better in the following episodes.
If you have suggestions on format, content or anything related to the podcast, don’t hesitate to write at lastweekdk@gmail.com
Danish Politics HQ
New Laws and Regulations
Flag freedom: From now on, you can hoist your national flag on your flagpole if you wish to do so. It’s all thanks to one man - mechanic Martin Hedegård from Kolding. He hoisted the US flag in his garden for a reunion event in 2018. Neighbors reported him to the police. After winning the case in District Court and losing it in the High Court, he finally arrived in front of the Supreme Court, which decided that he was innocent.
According to the Supreme Court, the political decree from 1915 is invalid, and a ban cannot be enforced on hoisting national flags in Denmark. The Ministry of Justice responded immediately with an executive order that allows any national flag to be hoisted in Denmark.
The German minority in South Denmark rejoiced upon hearing the news. They have always gone through the trouble of asking for a police permit to be able to hoist the German flag. A police permit, which can take up to three weeks to be obtained.
Danish Citizenship, Integration and Immigration Laws
The idea to limit the number of non-western immigrants has been put to bed, says Immigration Minister, Kaare Dybvad. This represents a change of position for the social democrats, as they wanted to implement a temporary ceiling for non-western immigrants until the asylum reception center in Rwanda was ready. Now, they have given up on the ceiling, and it doesn’t look like the Rwanda reception center will become a reality either.
A historical investigation will be launched to explore the relationship between Denmark and Greenland after the Second World War: 45 million DKK. That is the price of the 5-year historical investigation that will be undertaken by Greenlandic and Danish researchers. They want to understand, for example, how the decisions made by Denmark impact the Greenlandic people. This is the first step on the path to healing the relationship between the two nations.
Law proposals and ideas
Opportunity for mail delivery companies: The government is currently negotiating the framework for the postal service in Denmark. A leaked draft shows that they plan to end the “universal service obligation” (the assurance that mail and parcels can be delivered in the entire country), for which PostNord is solely responsible. They want private mail delivery companies to take over the task next year.
There will be an exception for the island communities (the state will continue to ensure that mail can reach them) and for mail that needs to be sent abroad.
The responsibility for ensuring mail reaches every corner of the country still rests with the state. Therefore, even in areas where private companies are reluctant to operate, the state will be responsible for handling the delivery.
PostNord is co-owned by Sweden (60%) and Denmark (40%). It is the second largest employer in Sweden.
War on drug smuggling operations in Danish ports: International drug cartels are smuggling large quantities of cocaine into Europe through the ports of Hanstholm and Thyborøn in North Denmark. After it was revealed by a TV2 investigation, the political parties are asking for increased police control in the ports. More control in the ports could be beneficial, considering it is “almost non-existent” today.
Stricter measures against nicotine, alcohol, and smoking: The government has started negotiations with the parliamentary parties to introduce new measures against nicotine products, alcohol, and smoking. What is to be expected? Tougher measures against kiosks that sell such products to young people (under 18 years old); Higher prices; Fewer places allowed to sell.
The political arena
21.9 billion DKK for Ukraine: 7.5 billion DKK in 2023, 10.4 billion DKK in 2024, and 1 billion yearly until 2028. With the increased support for Ukraine, Denmark will live up to the expectations of NATO by spending 2% of its GDP on defense and security.
Part of the money will be used to train Ukrainian pilots in Denmark.
1.2 billion DKK for South Africa: Why? To support their green transition in the energy sector from coal to solar and wind sources. Part of the money will be used to retrain the coal miners so that they can work in the solar and wind industries. But, really, why? To provide a new export market for the green technology developed by Danish companies. If you are interested, check out the Danish-South African Green Power Partnership. Is that it? No. Mette Frederiksen is touring Africa together with the Dutch prime minister, to reduce Russian influence in the area.
South Africa has the largest energy consumption in Africa. The main energy source is coal.
South Africa currently leads BRICS (an international club created by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa). Almost half of the world's population is represented in this club.
This spring, South Africa held a naval military exercise with Russia and China.
The USA suspects South Africa of supplying weapons to Russia.
The European Union is trying to move South Africa away from Russia and closer to the western powers.
Denmark’s EU Commissioner, Margrethe Vestager, is looking for a new job: During her initial time as an EU Commissioner, she gained attention for her strong stance against large technology companies and American corporations that paid minimal taxes in Europe. However, when she was promoted to the position of vice-president of the EU Commission during her second term, her fervor diminished, and she faded away from the media spotlight. Now, she is looking for a new job, as president of the European Investment Bank (EIB), one of the world’s largest financial institutions.
The European Investment Bank is co-owned by the EU member states. The bank finances projects that help achieve EU goals both inside and outside the EU. The current president is Werner Hoyer (Germany). His mandate ends in December.
Vestager is Denmark’s candidate, but she is not the only candidate. Italy nominated former finance minister Daniele Franco.
Politico wrote an interesting article about the rise and fall of Margrethe Vestager, which you can read in English.
Danish Economy HQ
Summer plans: If you haven't planned your summer vacation yet and want to go abroad, consider visiting Sweden. The Swedish currency is currently very cheap, making it a good option. You can save about 50% on various items, especially food and leisure equipment, but the general rule is that the products should be made in Sweden.
33,000 new jobs advertised in May: The labor market continues to break records. The latest statistics from April show that there are 2,986,500 employed people in Denmark. My estimation is that we should reach 3 million by the end of the summer.
Keep an eye on your house during the drought: Drought damage happens when the ground beneath a building's foundation becomes dry. The sandy soil is already dry, so it's not much of a concern. However, clay soil contains a lot of water, and when that water disappears, the clay soil shrinks. This can occur during dry weather with no rain, or when large trees with deep roots absorb the water near a building. As a result, certain parts of the foundation may be left unsupported, and in the worst case, it could even break. This can cause the building to become uneven and develop severe cracks.
During the last drought in 2018, 200 houses were damaged. From 2022 on, you can get compensation if your house is damaged due to prolonged drought.
12,500 households will receive subsidies to transition from gas boilers to heat pumps: Subsidies in the value of 250 million DKK will be allocated in mid-September to the first 12,500 households that apply. The money can be used to get rid of gas boilers and replace them with heat pumps. Once they announce the procedure to apply, I will write about it, so keep an eye on Last Week in Denmark in September. The subsidies will very likely be used up in minutes, so you need to be ready at the exact time with your application.
Daily Life in Denmark HQ
600,000 people in Denmark experience loneliness: That is more than 10% of the entire population. The “National Partnership against Loneliness” is an organization of 90 associations led by Ældre Sagen (an elderly association) and the Red Cross. They proposed 75 measures against loneliness to reduce loneliness by 50%. 20.8 million DKK will be spent in 2023-2025 to implement the measures.
Lonely people live 10 years less than people with social communities.
How much do you know about Danish dialects?: There are 14 Jutlandic traditional dialects, 18 island dialects and one Eastern Danish dialect (spoken in Bornholm). You can see here a map of the dialects and you can listen to the differences. Afterwards, try to take this test and see if you correctly identify them.
Healthcare
6.33% of the young people under 18 years old have a psychiatric diagnosis: 73,220 young people to be more precise. 10 years ago, the percentage was 4.55%. Two out of three young people with a psychiatric diagnosis have autism or ADHD.
New Nordic dietary guidelines: For the first time, the guidelines have taken into account the impact of the food we eat on both our health and the environment. The result? We need to eat more plants and less meat.
500-800 grams per day of vegetables, fruits and berries; Minimum 90 grams of whole grains per day; Baked or boiled potatoes with a low-salt content (limit your consumption of deep-fried potatoes); 20-30 grams of nuts and seeds daily; Legumes;
450 grams per week of fish; Max. 350 grams of red meat per week; Lower the consumption of white meat (chicken); 350-500 mil. milk and dairy products daily; moderate consumption of eggs;
25 grams of vegetable oil per day; Limit the use of butter and tropical oils; Limit the intake of sweets and other sugary foods; Moderate intake of fruit juice;
Alcohol should be consumed in small amounts, as there is no safe limit.
Education
The end of the grading system in “folkeskolen”: 8 schools will participate in a national experiment for two years, during which they will not grade the students. The schools will be monitored to understand if this measure will lead to less-stressed and happier kids. Instead of grades, the students will receive detailed feedback on how they can improve.
22 other schools are testing another measure, the introduction of a grade for work effort. The grade will be given on the basis if the student can work independently and if they take initiative and responsibility in groups.
You can see the map of the chosen schools for the two experiments here.
Climate
The king of clouds - Cumulonimbus - was spotted above Hobro last week. It is a classic weather phenomenon during the summer period.
Culture, Religion and Royals with Cicek Eris
Copenhagen Jazz Festival is to return on June 30th with its highly anticipated 44th edition: Since its inception in 1979, the festival has cemented its reputation as one of Europe’s most prominent international music events, captivating audiences with its groundbreaking exploration of Danish and international jazz. The capital will be transformed into a jazz lover’s paradise as the festival takes over 130 venues across the city with over 200,000 visitors. You can see the program here.
Sports
Wimbledon on DR: If you love tennis, you'll be happy to know that you can watch this year's Wimbledon tournament for free on DR. It will take place from the 3rd to the 16th of July. DR will also be streaming the qualifying matches of Clara Tauson, a Danish tennis star.
The golden age of Danish cyclism: We are only halfway through the year, and the Danish cyclists have already won 28 gold medals, coming close to surpassing the record set in 1999 with 32 victories. However, it's important to note that 1999 is not considered a reliable benchmark because many of the winners during that time admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs.
With 28 victories, Denmark is in fourth place in Europe, after Belgium (42 victories); France (36 victories) and Netherlands (35 victories). Belgium is the world's leading cycling nation with an abundance of great cycling talent and an impressive cycling culture.
Internationals in Danish media with Jessica Malvido
262 billion DKK in 2022: That is the contribution made by the international workforce in Denmark. Today, 12% of the entire Danish workforce is international. The contribution made by internationals represents 11% of the economic growth Denmark experienced last year.
European Union HQ
This category covers interesting happenings from other EU member states, EU candidate countries and EFTA countries (Norway, Iceland, Switzerland)
Estonia legalizes same-sex marriage: Estonia’s acceptance of marriage equality, and LGBTQ+ people, has grown in recent years. 53% of the population supports marriage equality, compared with 34% in 2012. Estonia thus becomes the first country in Central Europe that was formerly under communist rule to allow same-sex marriage, which is legal in several places in Western Europe.
LGBT Free Zone in Spanish village: The center-right Popular Party and far-right Vox in Náquera, a village in Valencia, have agreed to ban rainbow flags on municipal buildings and to prevent anti-sexism protests. Last time, it was a series of Polish villages and cities that quickly backed down after the EU Commission cut their access to EU funding.
Announcement Board
This section is curated by Cicek Eris. If you have events you want us to include here please send an e-mail to denmarkhappenings@gmail.com. You can check out her newsletter about cultural events in Denmark here.
Aalborg, 28th June, 13:00-15:00: Would you like to know how you can make yourself attractive to potential employers? You will gain insights in this event about what to consider in your application and will also get an introduction to personality tests that you will likely experience during the recruitment process and what you can expect from them.
Copenhagen, 4th July, 17:30-20:30: Join an evening exploring the exciting possibilities of AI in architecture. This event will consider AI’s potential to co-create more sustainable, resilient, and regenerative architecture. You can also engage in discussions with industry experts.