People vs. parking companies: Setting limits on fines
Last Week in Denmark (08.03-15.03) Episode 9 Year 6
What did we learn this week?
A citizen proposal against parking companies to be debated in Parliament.
Most important issues for people under 31: climate and environment. Over 31: healthcare and immigration.
While nearly 17% of the population has a minority background, less than 4% of Parliamentary candidates do.
Letter from the editor
Three out of four internationals living in Denmark that read Last Week in Denmark would vote for a “red party” (left-wing) if they had citizenship. Thanks to your contribution to the thought exercise last week, we are able to see which parties resonate with our community and which still have some work to do.
The results of the LWID survey “If Internationals could vote…” are the following:
25.9% SF (Green Left);
18.5% Enhedslisten (Red-Green Alliance);
13.6% Radikale Venstre (Social Liberals);
12.3% Moderaterne (Social Liberals);
12.3% Socialdemokratiet (Social Democrats);
3.7% Venstre (Liberals);
2.5% Liberal Alliance (Liberal Conservative);
2.5% Alternativet (Greens);
1.2% for Konservative (Conservatives), DF (Nationalist Conservative) and Borgernes Parti (Nationalist Populist) and
0% for DD (Nationalist Populist).
4.9% would not support any of the parties on the ballot.
If we could vote (and we would actually show up to vote), we would swing nine seats from the blue parties (right-wing) to the red parties + Moderaterne (left-wing). The red block would have a comfortable majority even without support from Moderaterne.
So what to do with this information? Spread it further. Let it reach the candidates from the top parties. Let them understand what they are missing by keeping us disenfranchised. Hopefully, more of them will step down from the “morbid race” of making life incredibly hard for us, and at least put up some resistance so the most absurd ideas don’t become reality.
Thank you for reading and sharing Last Week in Denmark!
Narcis George Matache, Executive Editor, LWID
Our long-form articles this week…
2. The Glass Ceiling Nobody Talks About in Nordic Workplaces, by Florin Lungu
3. Different ways to count, by Laura Matheson
4. Lost in Translation? The reality of working as a translator in Denmark, by Daniel Sfita.
Want to dig deeper into the latest news? Check out the Last Week in Denmark podcast. New episodes drop on all podcast apps and YouTube every Wednesday. Follow us now so you don’t miss it.
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Danish Politics HQ
Law proposals
🚗 Parking rules could soon face a political overhaul. A citizen proposal calling for stricter regulation of private parking companies has passed 50,000 signatures in just 18 days, meaning it must now be debated in Parliament. The proposal suggests requiring a national license for parking firms, setting limits on fines, and strengthening consumer protection. Supporters argue the current system allows companies to issue hundreds of thousands of penalties each year with too little oversight.
Political scene
🌍 Climate still tops the agenda for young voters. A new Epinion survey shows 16% of people aged 18 to 31 say climate and environment are the most important issues in the election, continuing a pattern seen in previous elections. Older voters prioritize healthcare instead, followed by immigration and then climate. Researchers say the strong climate focus among younger generations reflects growing up during years of intense public debate about climate change and movements like the school climate strikes.
💧 Tap water has become a major election battleground. Several parties want a national ban on pesticides in areas where groundwater is formed, while others prefer local restrictions or solutions through the green tripartite agreement with farmers. Socialdemokratiet (Social Democrats) is also proposing that agriculture should pay for cleaning nitrate from tap water instead of households, which will potentially cost billions over the coming decades.
⛽ Political debate grows over cutting fuel taxes. Rising oil prices linked to the Middle East conflict have prompted several parties to propose lowering taxes on petrol and diesel to help households. Experts warn the move would increase emissions and make climate targets harder to reach, potentially adding millions of tons of CO₂ each year.
💸 The proposed wealth tax has become a headache for startups and a political messaging mess. Business groups and founders warn that taxing company wealth could hit entrepreneurs based on paper valuations rather than real money in their pockets, potentially pushing talent to places like Sweden. Socialdemokratiet (Social Democrats) now says startups should not be punished this way and insists the tax would be based on more conservative book values, not inflated market estimates. That has done little to calm critics.
🏠 Tax break for cheap homes may miss many owners. The prime minister has promised to remove property value tax for homes valued under 1 million DKK to help rural areas, but new analysis shows public property assessments are often far higher than actual sale prices. In about one in six cases examined, houses that sold for under 1 million DKK were officially valued above that threshold, meaning owners could lose the tax relief. The tax minister admits the property valuation system has problems but says it will improve.
🏭 Venstre (Liberals) proposes tax cuts and less bureaucracy for businesses. The party wants to lower corporate tax from 22 to 20% and spend about one billion DKK on tax relief for small and medium-sized companies. It also promises a “burden stop guarantee” aiming to reduce administrative requirements for businesses by 25% by 2030. The proposal is part of the election campaign and presented as a plan to strengthen innovation and Denmark’s competitiveness.
🎵 Youth party members investigated after Nazi-linked song played at party. Videos from a Venstre (Liberal) Youth event in Aalborg show the Nazi song “Erika” playing from the building and a voice shouting “Heil Hitler” outside. The national leadership of Venstres Ungdom say they strongly distance themselves from the incident and are trying to identify who played the song or shouted the phrase.
🚑 Immigration proposal sparks debate over healthcare access. Socialdemokratiet (Social Democrats) has proposed tougher immigration policies, including faster administrative expulsions of foreign criminals and 17 other initiatives. They also propose that people convicted of violence against healthcare staff should be temporarily banned from non-urgent public healthcare. The healthcare sanction has drawn criticism from doctors, nurses, and even some Socialdemokratiet politicians, who warn it could undermine the principle of equal access to treatment. The party says the goal is to protect healthcare workers while maintaining emergency care for everyone.
🍫 Chocolate tax may stay to fund healthcare plans. Moderaterne (Social Liberals) propose keeping the planned chocolate tax instead of cutting it and using about one billion DKK to finance new healthcare initiatives. The plan includes health checks for people over 50 who have not visited a doctor in a year, mobile clinics for vulnerable and elderly patients, and a single national number for out-of-hours medical help. The party says the priority should be spending money on healthcare rather than lowering taxes on sugary products.
🌞 Solar parks spark political fight in rural areas. DD (Nationalist Populist) leader Inger Støjberg wants stronger rights for local residents to block new solar panel fields, calling them ugly “iron fields” that damage rural landscapes. At the same time she says farm expansions should still be allowed if environmental rules are followed, arguing agriculture is a natural part of the countryside. Critics say the position is contradictory and could limit new economic opportunities in rural communities.
Daily Life in Denmark HQ
🍽️ Noma founder René Redzepi steps down after abuse allegations. The world-famous chef resigned as head of the Copenhagen restaurant following revelations from dozens of former employees who described violence and a toxic work culture in the kitchen between 2009 and 2017. Redzepi apologized for past behavior and said he takes responsibility, while the restaurant says conditions have improved in recent years. Critics argue the scandal reflects wider problems in the fine-dining industry and are calling for stronger worker protections and union membership.
🍬 Why liquorice is such a big deal here. The love for liquorice goes back more than a century and has become a small cultural symbol shared across generations. Anthropologists say many people grow up with the taste through childhood sweets and keep enjoying it as adults, from classic candies like Gajol to modern gourmet versions. The flavor is complex and unusual, which is why it often surprises visitors who try it for the first time.
🍰 The best cake in the country has been crowned. Pastry chef Freja Krarup Johansen from Hotel d’Angleterre won the national “Cake of the Year 2026” competition in Copenhagen with a creation called “Pineapple Twister,” combining pineapple, lemon, and vanilla. The contest featured 102 pastry chefs who each had to produce 28 identical cakes, judged on taste and appearance.
🔨 Reused building materials are becoming popular across the country. The Red Cross has opened its fifth “build reuse” shop in Horsens, where people can buy leftover paint, tools, and other construction materials at very low prices. Both private residents and companies donate items that would otherwise be thrown away, saving disposal costs and reducing waste. With construction materials responsible for large CO₂ emissions, reuse is increasingly seen as a practical way to make home projects cheaper and more sustainable.
🎨 A new museum in Thy makes TIME’s list of the world’s greatest places. SMK Thy in Doverodde has been named one of TIME magazine’s “World’s Greatest Places of 2026,” highlighting the rugged landscapes of northwest Jutland and a new push to bring major art collections outside Copenhagen. The museum is the first permanent satellite of the national gallery Statens Museum for Kunst and transforms a former farmhouse and grain silo into galleries built with reclaimed materials.
🌊 Slimy algae appear unusually early in Limfjorden. Fishermen and biologists report that “fedtemøg,” a mix of brown algae and decaying eelgrass, has already started spreading along the coast weeks earlier than normal. Experts warn this suggests marine ecosystems are under severe pressure and quickly react when sunlight and temperatures rise. Politicians say excess nutrients from agriculture remain a key cause.
🎶 A Danish songwriter won Sweden’s Melodifestivalen. Theresa Rex from Padborg is one of the writers behind “My System,” the song that won Sweden’s national Eurovision selection and will now represent the country at Eurovision in May. Commentators say the win reflects growing appetite for a fresher sound instead of the usual polished Swedish formula. So yes, Denmark will have a small, extra reason to watch the contest this year.
Danish Economics HQ
Our money
💰 The gender pay gap appears earlier than expected. A new analysis from the union Djøf shows female student assistants already earn about 3.4% less than male colleagues in similar jobs in the private sector, equating to a difference of roughly 4,700 DKK per year. Researchers say the difference cannot be explained by experience or working hours, and may influence earnings later in careers. Experts point to greater salary transparency and stronger negotiation awareness as possible ways to reduce the gap.
State of the markets
⛽ Oil prices surge as Middle East tensions disrupt global supply. The price of Brent crude has jumped above 650 DKK per barrel after Iran blocked the Strait of Hormuz following attacks by Israel and the United States. Because around 20% of the world’s oil passes through the strait, the disruption is already pushing up fuel prices and could affect food costs and mortgage rates. Countries have agreed to release large emergency oil reserves, though analysts warn this may only stabilize markets briefly if the strait remains closed.
Entrepreneurship
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International Community HQ
🇸🇾 Most Syrian refugees cannot be sent back, test cases suggest. New decisions from the Refugee Appeals Board show that 7 out of ten Syrian refugees in sample cases were granted permanent residence, despite the authority assessing that Syria is now generally safe enough for return. Experts say the rulings will likely affect around 36,000 Syrians with temporary permits and make large-scale deportations difficult, especially when refugees have family ties or other protections. Several right-wing politicians are calling for changes to international conventions.
🗳️ Few election candidates have minority backgrounds. As the parliamentary election approaches, candidates with ethnic minority backgrounds remain underrepresented on party lists across the country. While about 16.8% of the population has an immigrant background, only around 3–4% of candidates in recent elections have had similar backgrounds. Researchers warn this gap can discourage participation among minority voters, while some voters say they would like to see more candidates who reflect the diversity of society.
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Community Noticeboard
👥WE vote WE care National elections: ‘SPIS BRØD TIL’ 📍 Demokrati Garage Rentemestervej 57 Kbh NV, 2400 | 🗓 Monday, March 16, 17:00–18:30 🔗 More here
📚Copenhagen’s Culture Houses & Libraries: The Gateways to Your Local Community 📍 Online (International House Copenhagen) | 🗓 Monday, March 23, 16:30–17:30 🔗 More here
🌍Parenting Across Cultures 📍Café Sweet Surrender, Copenhagen | Tuesday, March 24, 10:00-11:30 🔗 More here
👏Mastering the Job Interview📍 Online | 🗓 Tuesday, March 24, 13:00–14:30 🔗 More here
📊The Danish Tax System – Q&A Webinar 📍 Online | 🗓 Thursday March 26, 16:30–18:00 🔗 More here
🤝International Café – by Welcome Ambassadors 📍 Ørestad Library, Copenhagen | 🗓 Thursday, March 26, 17:00–19:00 🔗 More here
➕ Hosting something relevant to internationals in Denmark? Send it to us at noticeboard@lwid.dk
Denmark in Global Headlines
⚖️ “Danish Supreme Court case opens on arms sales to Israel” – The Times of Israel
🚇 “World’s longest underwater tunnel is being built with 73,000-ton blocks between Denmark and Germany” – The Times of India
⛽ “U.S.-Iran war fears push oil prices higher as Danes warned to avoid driving” – CNBC
🌍 “Denmark and Greenland play it cool to chill Trump” – The Manila Times
🕷️ “Giant spiders return to central Denmark after successful nature reclamation project” – Earth.com