Last Week in Denmark (28.05 - 04.06) Episode 21 Year 3
Offshore wind power, Active euthanasia, Climate footprint
Editor HQ
Join an international local club: Do you want to join a place where you can meet other internationals (and Danes)? Discuss issues related to our lives in Denmark. Learn about your rights and advocate for the interests of internationals. Then join us in our efforts to create such a space in your local community.
Last Week in Denmark, together with AMIS (a 30-year-old NGO that fights for the inclusion of disadvantaged people), launched a project with the aim of building associations for the international community around Denmark. Despite the fact that we live in a country of associations, with a very high level of civic and political involvement from the locals, the internationals don’t really partake in such activities (the number of international associations and of civic and politically involved internationals is very low). In the long term, as we become a larger share of the population each year, this can be damaging for Danish society as we know it.
In the first phase of the project, we want to build 9 local international clubs. The locations will depend on the level of interest. If a minimum of five people from the same municipality sign up, then we can consider that location. The people interested will become the “founding committee” and with our support, they will create and manage the local international club. You can register your interest here until 1st July. The locations will be chosen after 1st of August.
Are you an artist? Help us create amazing merchandise for Last Week in Denmark. We are looking for an international artist who can create cool designs for our limited edition merchandise. The designs need to be rooted in our logo and our mission and purpose. What we offer is exposure to our ever-growing family of subscribers and a symbolic honorarium of 5000 DKK. If you are interested, write to us at lastweekdk@gmail.com
Call for host families in Copenhagen and the surrounding area: Welcome a high school student (15-17 years old) from abroad into your home. Give them the chance of a lifetime to study in Denmark for at least a semester. The host family can be anyone over 25 years old. Read more about the program here. Register your interest. When? Autumn 2023. The hosting costs are covered by the CIEE organization.
Let’s meet in Aalborg on 23th June (16.30): Kickstart Aalborg invited me to speak at the 11th edition of F**kup Nights. Sign up here and enjoy an evening of networking, socializing, and inspiration for your next business venture.
Danish Politics HQ
New Laws and Regulations
New rules for political party subsidies: Political parties can obtain state subsidies for political work in between elections. Today, any party that obtains a minimum of 1000 votes in the parliamentary elections receives state subsidies. From next year, you need at least 1.83% of the votes (approximately 64,000 votes) to receive state subsidies.
To enter Parliament, you need 2% of the votes.
The rules will also change for the local and regional elections, regarding local and regional subsidies for political parties.
Sikandar Siddique’s party (Frie Grønne - Free Greens) and KD (Christian Democrats) will lose their state subsidies next year. To give you an idea, Sikandar receives 1.1 million DKK per year in state subsidies.
Denmark decided to expand its offshore wind power from 2.3 gigawatts to 9 gigawatts by 2030: Enough power to provide electricity for 9 million households. The new offshore wind farms will be placed in Bornholm, Hesselø, North Sea, Kattegat and Kriegers Flak. While the expected capacity is 9 gigawatts, the Ministry of Energy foresees a potential capacity of 14 gigawatts. A potential export resource for Denmark, as we will produce more than we need.
Part of the electricity will also be used to produce hydrogen in the soon-to-be established power-to-X plants. Hydrogen can be used as a fuel in transportation.
500 million DKK will be spent to protect the marine environment around the offshore wind farms.
7.5 billion DKK for Ukraine: The government decided to allocate another 7.5 billion DKK for the Ukraine fund this year and 10.4 billion DKK next year. The money will be used to strengthen the Ukrainian military before the counteroffensive.
Denmark aims to be the largest contributor to the Ukrainian war effort.
Danish Citizenship, Integration and Immigration Laws
DF (far-right) speech at the last meeting of the Parliament before vacation: They decided to use their 5 minutes of speaking time by reading headlines from articles published in the past 40 years, that refer to internationals doing all sorts of criminal activity in Denmark. The speech ended with a proposal to issue the people of Denmark “an unreserved apology for 40 years of failed immigration policy”. Luckily, the proposal was not supported by the rest of Parliament.
Such manipulation tactics used by DF, seem copied from a KGB manual. It was overlooked that the media for the past 40 years has focused mainly on crimes committed by internationals, making it seem like they were responsible for the majority of them. A quick look at the statistics will show that it is just as likely for a Dane to engage in criminal activities. There are bad apples among Danes and internationals, and we need to accept that. You cannot blame all the internationals for the actions of a few, just as we don’t blame all the Danes for the actions of a few.
Law proposals and ideas
143 billion DKK investment in the Danish Army: The government unveiled their plan for upgrading Denmark’s military capabilities. An investment of 143 billion DKK over the next 10 years, starting with 6.7 billion this year. The plan will be negotiated with the other political parties in Parliament after the summer break.
The negotiations with the parliamentary parties will include the question of conscription (how many, who, and for how long) and the question of how to motivate people to stay in the military.
Three political parties have already announced their positions in the future defense negotiations - DF (far-right) (they want conscription to be extended to 9-12 months; an increase of conscription from 4000/year to 20000/year; women, Faroese, and Greenlandic people should also be conscripted), DD (far-right) (they agree with most DF ideas, just not with the conscription of women), SF (socialist) also support longer conscription but want better opportunities for them to remain in the defense forces afterwards.
Conscription today is 4 months long (with exceptions). A conscript gets 8,647 DKK per month and free accommodation in the barracks.
What are the expectations for the 143 billion? Better salaries (people are resigning from the army because they can earn more in civilian jobs); Building maintenance (the military buildings are moldy and decaying); More conscripts also means more barracks to be built; Acquire new weapons (Denmark cannot protect itself against missile attacks).
A citizen proposal to legalize active euthanasia received the 50,000 signatures needed to be debated in Parliament: The citizen proposal has been organized by the association “Right to Die,”, which advocates for the freedom to die when you want. According to them, it is strange that you need to go to Switzerland to get this right.
The government parties (social democrats, liberals, moderates) are undecided, as they support the citizen’s right to their own body and life, but they find the idea of taking your own life difficult to accept. Liberal Alliance decided to allow their members of Parliament to vote on what they believe to be right.
Konservative (Conservatives) and DD (far-right) are against legalizing active euthanasia. Alternativet (Greens) is for legalization.
The Ethics Council will also take a stance on the issue after the summer holidays. Last time they talked about it (2012) they decided to vote against legalization. Usually, the government parties listen to what the Ethics Council says.
The Danish Medical Association is against the idea, as it can have difficult-to-control repercussions in society.
The political arena
Enhedslisten (far-left) decided to change its stance about EU, NATO and the military: Until better alternatives to the EU and NATO appear, they decided to stop campaigning for a Danish exit from the two alliances. They also recognize that the military is a necessary evil and therefore should not be abolished.
During the vote to change the party principles, a clear party division could be seen. While the large majority (55%) wanted the new direction, there is still a significant minority that wants to preserve the old ways.
The Danish Parliament went into recess until October. This means that we will not see any new laws proposed or passed during the summer.
Danish Economy HQ
House prices are expected to increase by 30% until 2030, according to the Economic Council: From 2025 on, the housing market will recover and prices will increase. However, until then, the price continues to drop this year (8% drop) and next year (1% drop). Also, the interest rates for mortgage loans will continue to grow in 2023. The economic sages expect that interest rates will also drop by 2030 to an average of 2.9% (from almost 5% today). They also consider buying a house a good investment, even if you buy it at the high interest rate of today.
It has become more expensive to have a mortgage loan: According to the Danish National Bank, each household with a mortgage loan has to pay 3500 DKK more per month due to the increased interest rates. Due to this situation, approximately 36,000 households will have difficulty paying their loans. What to do?
Make an overview of your monthly spending. See if you can cancel some subscriptions, reduce spending on travel, clothes, and takeaway food, and think about whether you really need a car.
Book a meeting with the bank advisor. Tell them that you are close to not being able to pay your loans. They have different tools to help. Refinancing the loan. Moving the bank loan under the mortgage where there are lower interest rates (if you bought the house a long time ago, maybe 10 years), and so on.
Daily Life in Denmark HQ
Podcast in Greenlandic: A new media initiative that is similar to ours, creates content for Greenlandic-speakers, to bring them together. The format is a podcast called “INUNA”. The podcast covers culture, news, and history.
Healthcare with Punitha Kumar
Vaccinate children against influenza while they’re in nurseries and kindergartens, experts say. University of Copenhagen professor Jens Lundgren said more parents will get on board if the vaccination takes place while they are at work. His colleague, Camilla Foged, agreed, stating that for a flu vaccine, a family with two children would have to make two health appointments to receive the vaccine per child.
The government offers children between the ages of 2 and 6 the vaccine via a nasal spray and not through an injection.
Last year, only 22% of children were vaccinated, while in 2021, it was 28%.
The Danish Health Authority’s vaccination target is 75%.
However, National Association of Daycare Centers chairman Eva Djurhuus said placing this responsibility upon tutors and nursery staff only meant that the institutions would have to take on more tasks. “Offering the vaccine is a good idea, but there needs to be a proper framework. Parents and healthcare staff need to be involved,” she added.
The 5-year limit on storing a woman's frozen eggs will be removed in January 2024, the government announced. Current law states a limit of up to 5 years, but revisions to the country’s reproductive laws will soon allow a woman to store her eggs until she turns 46 years old, which is the age limit to receive fertility treatment in Denmark. Minister of Health Sophie Løhde said the current law only allowed women to store their eggs beyond 5 years for special health reasons, but with new provisions in place, women will have the opportunity to have children at a later time.
Education
27% of 4th to 9th graders are unhappy with the quality of the teaching: More specifically, they don’t find the lessons interesting enough to make them want to learn more. Compared to 2014 when the percentage was 12.5%, this indicates a degradation of the teaching quality.
The Teachers Association says that teaching has become monotonous due to the long list of teaching goals decided on a political level. There is too much information that needs to be delivered in too little time.
It is also a problem that 19% of schoolteachers do not have training.
Climate
Denmark is among the 20% of the world's countries with the highest climate footprint: A study made by a research organization in Norway, shows that Denmark’s CO2 emissions per capita are the 33th highest in the world. To show a different picture, the researchers included in the calculations the CO2 emissions produced by the imported products in Denmark. The large climate footprint comes from the fact that we enjoy a high level of prosperity (we afford to fly often and buy in large quantities food, clothes, and electronics).
Denmark is branded as a “green superpower”. This new study puts that title in danger and opens up the discussion of overconsumption in Danish society.
Culture, Religion and Royals with Cicek Eris
Denmark’s beloved Royal Summer Ballet is set to dazzle audiences in 12 cities this year. Since its start in 2006, this ballet event has attracted thousands of spectators who gather under the open sky to witness captivating live performances by the Royal Ballet dancers. From majestic castles to scenic parks and harbors, this free and one-of-a-kind ballet experience brings together both seasoned ballet enthusiasts and newcomers. The 2023 program features a diverse lineup of eight ballets, including timeless classics like Swan Lake and new works.
Internationals in Danish media with Jessica Malvido
The Danish Nursing Council, DSR, has proposed the establishment of a working group to create a reception process for international nurses in Denmark. The aim is to address the shortage of nurses in the Danish healthcare system. The union highlights that there are approximately 1,000 Iranian nurses living in Denmark, with 400 of them currently waiting for authorization. The goal is to streamline the system and expedite the process for foreign nurses to work in Danish hospitals.
European Union HQ
This category covers interesting happenings from other EU member states, EU candidate countries and EFTA countries (Norway, Iceland, Switzerland)
Erdogan continues to rule Turkey: The second round of presidential elections in Turkey ended with Erdogan being declared victor. He obtained 52.18% and will continue to rule the country for another five years. International markets responded with concern; economists continued to worry about his abnormal economic policies, and the Turkish lira fell to its lowest value in history.
The next battle for Turkey will take place in March 2024 - the local elections. Erdogan wants to regain control of Istanbul, Ankara, and İzmir.
The path of Moldova to the European Union: Tens of thousands of Moldovan people cheered with EU flags for the new path of Moldova. The path towards becoming a member of the European Union and escaping the clutches of Russian influence. The European leaders decided to send a message to the people of Moldova and to Russia, and organized their summit in Moldova.
Moldova is considered to be the next victim of Putin’s conquering dreams.
2.2 billion DKK from the European Union will be allocated to the development of Moldova.
Denmark is a strong supporter for Moldova joining the EU as soon as possible.
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.
Online, 6th June, 10:00-11:15: Have you arrived in Denmark and would like to know more about what to do when getting a bank account? Perhaps you have already started the process and are left with unanswered questions? With this online webinar you can know more about which criteria to fulfill and how to open an account.
Odense, 7th June, 11:30-13:30: Join this social meet up and summer potluck picnic for the last Spouse Café before the summer holidays! It will be a relaxed opportunity to meet new people and enjoy the good weather.
Esbjerg, 8th June, 16:30-18:00: Get a chance to have fresh, energetic conversation with new people - and in inspiring environments. You’ll meet for informal conversations in front of different works of art at the museum. During the event, you’ll meet a new person and new artwork every 7 minutes.
Copenhagen, 9th June, 16:00-18:00: Do you miss being part of a creative community, where you can play theater, use your imagination & have a good time? Are you a humorous and curious person? You can join this event by NIT and show your talent!
International media about Denmark HQ
Denmark's tough lady in play as new NATO chief ahead of White House visit (Reuters)
In Denmark, potatoes on key bridge cause havoc (AP News)