Last Week in Denmark (22.01 - 29.01) Episode 3 Year 3
Conscription for women; Less support for the government; Extra tax on energy companies
Danish Politics HQ
Danish Citizenship, Integration and Immigration Laws
126,862 people moved to Denmark in 2022. 47,066 from the European Union (25,842 workers; 7691 students and 5958 other means). 32,916 refugees from Ukraine. 24,579 workers from outside the European Union. 15,748 students from outside the European Union. 3350 via family reunification and 1400 refugees.
Law proposals and ideas
Conscription for women: At the moment, women can voluntarily join the Army or the National Emergency Management Agency for four months of service. Now, there is a political majority that wants to make it mandatory.
If you are a male and a citizen of Denmark living in Denmark, once you turn 18 years old, you will need to serve 4 months in the army, with some exceptions (8 months in Royal Guard; 9 months on the Royal Ship Dannebrog; 12 months in the Hussar Regiment).
You can choose to serve in the National Emergency Management Agency instead of the army. In there you will be working with the fire and rescue service.
17% of Army employees are women. 8.9% are wearing a uniform.
4616 conscripts in 2022 for the Army, Navy and the Air Force. 26.8% women.
The political arena
Political support for the government: The conflict around “The Great Prayer Day” has damaged the government support among the population.
Socialdemokratiet went from 27.5% (obtained at the last elections) to 21.7%. That means 12 fewer mandates.
Venstre went from 13.3% to 8.8%. That means 7 fewer mandates.
Moderaterne went from 9.3% to 7.7%. That means 2 fewer mandates.
In general, if we had elections today, the government would not obtain a majority.
The voters from Socialdemokratiet are going to SF (Socialist Party) which increased to 15.5%, while the voters from Venstre are going to Liberal Alliance which increased to 12.6%.
Conflict within Nye Borgerlige (far right party): As we mentioned last week, the founder of the party, Pernille Vermund, decided to retire as leader. The only candidate in the race for leadership is Lars Boje Mathiesen. The change in leadership has triggered some old conflicts which led to MP Mikkel Bjørn to switch to DF together with a group of local leaders. The party is down to 4 members of Parliament (from 6 elected).
Danish Economy HQ
Extra tax for energy companies: The minister of taxation, Jeppe Bruus, has announced that 1.2 billion DKK will be collected from energy companies as extra tax from the abnormally high profits. The minister also announced that the money will be returned to citizens via the inflation aid that is coming this spring.
A solidarity tax on oil and gas companies (33% extra on part of the profit in 2023) would bring 800 million DKK to the state budget.
Electricity producers (with the exception of district heating plants and small renewable energy producers) will be taxed extra on the revenue earned between December 2022 and June 2023 - this would also bring 400 million DKK to the state.
The legislative proposal for extra tax comes from the European Union. It was proposed in Brussels in the autumn. Barely now, it has been proposed as a law in Denmark.
At the moment, energy traders (intermediaries) are exempt. However, there is political pressure to include them in the extra taxation law as they made huge profits (10 times more than usual) last year.
Daily Life in Denmark HQ
The police and the babies: A gas leak in Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, prompted the evacuation of a school and daycare on Tuesday. As the evacuation occurred during nap time for some of the youngest children, police officers from the Copenhagen Police had to push them in strollers approximately 400 meters from the daycare to Frederiksberg Center, where the children were evacuated.
Healthcare
An app called Howdy is being rolled out to approximately 3,000 employees at three of Region Zealand's hospitals in Næstved, Slagelse, and Ringsted. The app aims to help solve well-being problems and strengthen the well-being of employees by reminding them every two weeks to answer five questions about their mood, sleep, motivation, relaxation, and energy. The answers are used to calculate a score and determine whether the employee is thriving or in the risk zone, and if they are in the risk zone, they will be contacted by a psychologist for a "coaching conversation."
The Council of Ethics in Denmark has proposed that it should be easier and safer for couples to have children with the help of surrogate mothers. Currently, it is legal to be a surrogate mother in Denmark, but it is illegal to get help with insemination for surrogate mothers. The Ethics Council would like to change this, so that it will also be possible for surrogate mothers to receive fertility treatment and help in Danish hospitals, instead of going to Spain to place a fertilized egg in the surrogate mother's womb.
Culture, Religion and Royals
Oscar 2023 nominations: The documentary movie “Et hus af splinter”, the short movie “Ivalu” and movie editor Mikkel E.G. Nielsen for his work on “The Banshees of Inisherin” are in the race to bring an Oscar back to Denmark.
The documentary is about an orphanage in Eastern Ukraine, while the short movie takes place in Greenland and it is about a little sister looking for her older sister.
The Romanian movie “R.M.N Kold Vinter” directed by Cristian Mungiu, has been in the spotlight in Danish media this week. Jylland-Posten, Information, and Weekendavisen have written about it. The movie is about poverty and xenophobia and can be seen in Danish cinemas.
There is now a Polish actress in the Danish TV series “DNA”. Her name is Zofia Wichlacz and she has also starred in the British TV series “World on Fire” (which I warmly recommend).
Sports with Jelimir Vlastici
Unlucky number 13. Denmark's best badminton player, Viktor Axelsen, lost the Indian Open final after winning the previous 12.
History in the making. Friday, the Danish national handball team won against Spain in the world cup semifinal, and have the chance to write history by becoming the first team to ever win 3 consecutive world titles. They will defend their title against France on Sunday. The final will be broadcast on TV2 at 21:00.
Science and Technology
Green Comet: An exotic green comet that has not been seen since the time of the Neanderthals has reappeared in the sky, ready for its closest approach to Earth next week. Best time to see it: 1st and 2nd of February.
Internationals in Danish media
The local newspaper from Ringkøbing Skjern talks about Adrian Savlovschi, a Romanian who wants to introduce Danes to Romanian wines. His brand is called Drikula Vin.
The same newspaper also talks about a couple of Romanians (Laura and Claudiu Apostol) who reopened Westergaards Hotel (near Herning) with the new name Videbæk Hotel.
The local newspaper from Fredericia talks about another Romanian (Ioan Cristinel Coman) who will open a cafe on Jyllandsgade (Fredericia).
And finally, Romanian couple Iulia Munteanu and Lucian Chiva were featured in the Himmerland local newspaper for (you will never guess it) opening a cafe called "Coffee Legend Hadsund" in Mariager.
European Union HQ
Rasmus Paludan, an agent of Russia? At the paid request of a member of the Swedish Democrats, Rasmus Paludan organized his typical action of burning the Quran in Stockholm. This has led to a diplomatic crisis between Sweden and Turkey, which threatens Sweden’s application to join NATO. The only country that benefits from this situation is Russia.
Doomsday clock 2023: A time of unprecedented danger - It is 90 seconds to midnight, the closest to global catastrophe we have ever been.
The Doomsday Clock is set every year by the Bulletin’s Science and Security Board in consultation with its Board of Sponsors, which includes 10 Nobel laureates. The Clock has become a universally recognized indicator of the world’s vulnerability to global catastrophe caused by manmade technologies.
Save the bees: The European Union wants to save the bees from extinction and has laid out a seven-year plan to reverse the decline of bees and other pollinators by promoting "buzz lines" for insects to be able to move across Europe and find food and shelter.
Announcement Board
5 February, Randers: Polish Piano Trio concert at Vaerket (15:00).
29 February, World Cup Handball Final: Denmark - France, TV 2 (21:00)
International media about Denmark HQ
6 reasons why we love Danish gravel: the overlooked trails right outside Copenhagen
Denmark wins the Bocuse d’Or world final of 2023
The Legal Implications of the 2022 Canada-Denmark/Greenland Agreement on Hans Island (Tartupaluk) for the Inuit Peoples of Greenland and Nunavut
Ethiopian Airlines to start passenger service to Denmark
In Denmark, teenager charged for joining white supremacists
“The act of not acting”, by Cecilie Hou Thomsen
Recently, I was on a bus in Northern Denmark, tightly packed with people staring at their phones and afraid to make eye contact with the stranger in front of them. You may think that the problem was that people prefer the company of their digital friends, rather than being forced to interact with the real world, but that is not the case.
The problem was the act of not acting. You see, there was a medical emergency on this specific bus ride. A young man had a seizure, which caused the crowd to almost freeze up. Some people also seemed annoyed that their schedule was now postponed. It was as though human life didn't matter in this context. Only four people acted, while others turned to their phones to shield themselves or document the event. I, however, felt adrenaline kicking through my veins. For a moment, my mind froze as though I was incapable of moving a muscle in my body. However, a rational voice in my head forced the words "Call 112!" out of my mouth.
Is the act of not acting ingrained in Danish culture?
● Danes are known for their strong sense of independence and self-reliance, which could have led some passengers to prioritise their own needs over the wellbeing of the person having a seizure.
● Privacy is highly valued and respected in Denmark. According to TheLocal.dk, ”It can be seen as rude and intrusive to start a conversation with a total stranger. This sometimes extends to just blanking people out when it might actually be of use to say something.’’
● The Scandinavian concept of Janteloven (“the Law of Jante") also stresses not standing out or bringing attention to oneself. Janteloven is equivalent to a cultural manual that says "Don't stand out from the crowd!".
My account of the situation is not a criticism of the passengers on the bus, but a critique of our society. A society that prioritises individualism over collective action. As I reflected on what happened on that bus ride, I realised that this isn’t just a Danish problem – it’s a societal one. The act of not acting is not new and is known as the bystander effect. It states that people's willingness to help is influenced by the number of people present: the more people there are, the less likely that someone will step forward.
The bystander effect can be dangerous and it's essential to understand and combat it through education and awareness. For internationals in Denmark, the following advice can be helpful:
● Understand the bystander effect and Danish cultural differences.
● Know the emergency phone number (112).
● Ask someone for help, if you or someone else is in trouble.
The Red Cross offers a first aid app with information in 41 languages about what to do in common emergencies. It is available for Apple and Android smartphones by going to the relevant app store. In this case our digital companions, our smartphones, can be very helpful if used with the right morals.