Rethinking what it means to belong
Last Week in Denmark (05.10-12.10) Episode 35 Year 5
TOP 3 News
🏛️ Government to scrap National Integration Council – Says integration is a personal responsibility, not the state’s
📱 Ban on social media for under-15s – Mette Frederiksen says platforms “steal our children’s childhood”
🐸 Half of Denmark’s species at risk – Nearly 50% now live under “highly unfavorable” conditions
Illustration by Diana Bălașa
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Remember to check out our New Reporting in International Community HQ, further down the newsletter. These are original articles in English by our own Last Week in Denmark reporters.
Editor HQ
State of Denmark
The government has announced plans to abolish the National Integration Council by June 2026, arguing that integration is a personal responsibility, not something that requires a national advisory body. According to Integration Minister Rasmus Stoklund, newcomers “must take part in Danish society and live by its values,” and Denmark no longer needs a council to mediate that process. The move is part of a broader effort to reduce administrative costs across ministries.
The decision marks the end of an era. Since its creation in 1983, the Integration Council has been a platform where experts, organizations, and people with immigrant backgrounds could advise on national policy. But as the government closes the door on this model, a new conversation begins: what should replace it?
Instead of integration councils that define people by what they lack, Denmark could create International Councils, municipal fora that recognize internationals as part of the community, and not outsiders to be “integrated.” These councils could advise local governments on housing, education, employment, and cultural life, ensuring that internationals have a real voice in decisions that affect them.
Because the truth is, Denmark has changed. More than 10% of the population was born abroad, and internationals contribute daily to the country’s economy, welfare system, and cultural life. Representation should reflect that reality.
The end of the Integration Council could either close a chapter, or open a better one. If Denmark truly wants inclusion, it might be time to move from integration to representation, and let internationals help shape the places they already call home.
Thank you for reading and sharing Last Week in Denmark!
Images of the week
🌕 A rare lunar halo painted the sky this week, a perfect silver ring around the moon caused by light refracting through ice crystals, captured in photos by night owls from Aarhus to Aalborg. A quiet reminder that even the coldest light can be beautiful.
🍂 Meanwhile, autumn has taken out its brushes. Forests turned gold, lakes mirrored copper skies, and all of Denmark seemed dipped in honey. No filters needed, just October doing what October does best.
LWID Universe
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The legendary gameshow, “Guardian of Europe” is coming to Aarhus (November 6) and Esbjerg (November 8) to find the last two finalists for the grand finale in December, when we will find the national champion of Denmark. Don’t forget that the local winner goes home with 2,500 DKK. Also, there will be food and drinks :)
Wednesday, October 15, join us as Dokk1, Aarhus to talk about how we can get more internationals to go and vote in the local and regional elections. We will listen to an expert, have free food and drinks and develop together a project. Sign up here.
Paid opportunities:
We need a photographer for the “Keys to Europe’s Money” event in Odense (November 1) and one for “Guardian of Europe” in Esbjerg (November 8). Reach out to Bernardo (info@amis.dk)
We need a musician for an event in Copenhagen (“European Evenings-2”) in November. The date is not yet confirmed. Reach out to Laeticia (office@amis.dk)
Publicity opportunities:
We still need business mentors for the “Keys to Europe’s Money” event in Odense (November 1). Topics: Business Strategy, Networking, Sales and Marketing, Export, and Funding. Reach out to Bernardo (info@amis.dk)
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Danish Politics HQ
New laws
🏗️ Employers face jail for asbestos violations. A broad deal in Parliament introduces a national asbestos strategy after repeated scandals of workers exposed to deadly dust. The new rules make severe breaches punishable by prison, end exemptions for high-pressure cleaning of asbestos roofs, and tighten testing oversight. The agreement, backed by all major parties, aims to stop fraud with asbestos samples and strengthen worker protection. As Minister Kaare Dybvad Bek said, “Asbestos dust can be a death sentence if mishandled.”
🏗️ Political deal introduces ID cards on major construction sites. A broad majority in Parliament has agreed to require ID cards for workers on large construction and infrastructure projects to fight social dumping (exploitation of low-paid international workers) and ensure fair working conditions. The agreement also raises fines for companies that fail to report accidents or safety plans.
Law proposals
📱 Government wants to ban social media for under-15s. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced plans to set a 15-year age limit for “several social media platforms,” arguing that “phones and social media steal our children’s childhood.” Parents could grant exceptions from age 13. The proposal follows new EU rules allowing national age limits, but no law has been tabled yet. Digitalization Minister Caroline Stage says Denmark must move “from digital captivity to community.”
👉 Read our article: how one Danish school banned phones and transformed learning and wellbeing
Political scene
🥩 EU Parliament wants to ban ‘plant burgers’. A majority in the European Parliament voted to restrict names like “plantebøffer” and “plantepølser” for non-meat products, aiming to protect Europe’s traditional livestock sector. The vote split Danish MEPs: DF (Nationalist Conservative) and DD (Nationalist Populist) backed the ban, while Radikale (Social Liberal), SF (Green Left), and others opposed it, calling it “language policing.” The proposal now moves to talks with EU governments, meaning your “plant-based burger” might soon need a new name.
⚖️ Government to reopen disability pension cases. The government plans to reassess certain early retirement (førtidspension) cases, with a focus on the high number of Danes with another ethnic background receiving the benefit. Critics warn the move could create fear and legal uncertainty among the 255,000 current recipients. DF (Nationalist Conservative) supports the review, calling it overdue, while social workers and the left fear it will unfairly target vulnerable people and simply move them to lower benefits without real job prospects.
🚔 Police launch drone patrols at the German border. South and Southern Jutland Police have deployed Denmark’s first fixed-wing police drone to monitor cross-border crime. The electric drone, with a 3-meter wingspan and blue flashing lights, will fly daily from its base in Padborg. Officials say it will improve surveillance and intelligence gathering while reducing passport checks.
🗳️ Troels Lund resists pressure to declare for PM. At Venstre’s (Liberal) national meeting in Odense, party leader Troels Lund Poulsen refused to call himself a prime minister candidate despite growing pressure from his base. A new poll shows 45% of people want him to announce his candidacy, but Lund says Venstre needs a stronger foundation first. The party remains divided, as one-third favors cooperation with Socialdemokratiet (Social Democrats), and another third with the right-wing bloc.
💡Latest opinion poll (October 7, 2025)
Government parties: Socialdemokratiet (Social Democrats) 20,9% (-6,6%), Venstre (Liberals) 9,1% (-4,2%), Moderaterne (Social Liberals) 2,7% (-6,6%)
Opposition left-wing (red) parties: SF (Green Left) 12,5% (+4,2%), Enhedslisten (Red-Green Alliance) 7,6% (+2,4%), Radikale Venstre (Social Liberals) 4,8% (+1%), Alternativet (Greens) 2,4% (-0,9%)
Opposition right-wing (blue) parties: DF (Nationalist Conservative) 12% (+9,4%), Liberal Alliance (Libertarian Conservative) 11,4% (+3,5%), DD (Nationalist Populist) 7,9% (-0,2%), Konservative (Conservatives) 6,2% (+0,7%), Borgernes Parti (Populist) 1,4%
Danish Economics HQ
Our money
📈 Markets boom, young left behind. Stocks, housing, gold, raw materials and even bitcoin are at record highs. Great if you already own these assets, tough if you don’t. Students say the first step (a home or starter portfolio) feels out of reach on SU. Inequality has climbed for years, driven by wealth returns. Analysts float fixes like taxing capital and property more than wages, but for now the gap widens.
💳 National Bank urges households to get a second payment card. After this summer’s Nets breakdown froze card payments nationwide, the National Bank now recommends every household keep two cards from different providers (e.g., Visa and Mastercard). Only 44% of people currently meet that standard. The goal is to stay functional if one system fails. Consumers’ group Tænk supports the idea, calling it smart crisis prep, alongside keeping at least 250 DKK in cash per person for emergencies.
🛒 Meet Denmark’s digital deal hunter. With food prices soaring, 28-year-old business developer Nikolaj Münster built goma.gg, a website that tracks prices across supermarkets and suggests recipes based on current discounts. The idea is taking off as people, squeezed by inflation and new packaging fees, search harder for bargains.
State of the markets
🏡 House prices rise across most of Denmark. New figures from Boligsiden show a 6.1% national increase in house prices compared to last year, with 69 out of 98 municipalities seeing growth. The boom, once centered on Copenhagen, has now spread to towns across Jutland and Funen. Even Odsherred and Lolland are climbing thanks to local projects and demand. Still, western and northern areas lag behind, with drops of up to 9%. Economists warn: the gap between regions is widening fast. Check your municipality here.
👉 Read our article: What are your property-buying rights as an international in Denmark?
🥇 Gold smashes records as fear-based hedges rise. Gold just topped 800,000 DKK per kilo, up 50% this year and roughly doubled since 2024. Drivers: falling US rates, debt worries, political noise, and central banks hoarding since Russia’s reserves were frozen. Investors treat bullion as an insurance policy against economic shocks. It’s not just limited to gold - silver and platinum are climbing too.
💡What is “tilskud til hjemmepasning”? It’s a financial allowance that municipalities offer to parents who choose to care for their young child at home instead of using public daycare. The scheme is voluntary and available in 86 municipalities. Parents can receive the allowance for up to one year per child, typically ranging from 4,000 to 9,500 DKK per month before tax, depending on local rules. To qualify, the child must be between 1 and 3 years old, and the parent cannot receive other income or public benefits while home with the child.
Entrepreneurship
Aalborg, now it’s your turn! After launching in Copenhagen, the Keys to Europe’s Money & Business Support Event is coming to your city on Saturday, October 18 at 13:00. Over a period of just four hours, you’ll get a brand-new printed guide on using AI to unlock EU funding, a live walk-through, a mentor panel, and rotating tables for one-on-one business advice. Free to attend but seats are limited. Don’t miss the chance to be part of it in Aalborg. Sign up now!
Daily Life in Denmark HQ
🚗 Too close for comfort on highways. More than half of drivers don’t keep a safe distance when driving 130 km/h, according to a new survey from the Road Directorate. The recommended minimum is 65 meters, about two to three roadside markers, yet 61% of drivers do not respect it. Rear-end crashes remain the most common motorway accident, prompting a new AI-powered campaign to remind drivers: use your thumb or road markings to check your distance.
💬 Smalltalk makes a comeback. Experts warn that constant “bigtalk” about wars, politics, and crises is wearing people out and pushing us apart. According to experts, we risk losing connection if we forget the everyday chit-chat about weather or weekends. Smalltalk builds trust and togetherness, while “bigtalk” often turns into competition or conflict.
👉 Read our article: Why Danes don’t do small talk.
🥙 Eating foreign food makes you more tolerant. A new study finds that people who often eat dishes like curry, kebab, or sushi see immigrants as 10% less of a threat and are 7% less likely to support anti-immigration parties. Food, it turns out, can be a cultural bridge, as restaurants and street food stalls create natural spaces for friendly encounters across backgrounds. As one researcher put it: sharing a meal might be the easiest form of integration.
🍏 A comeback plan for Danish fruit and veggies. Only 9% of fruit and 26% of vegetables sold in Denmark are grown locally, a steep drop from 92% sixty years ago. Now, 31 food experts want to reverse the trend. Their goal: produce half of all fruit and greens in Denmark by 2050 through tax cuts, education, and better conditions for farmers. With aging growers and pricey apple trees, the plan needs both young hands and hungry consumers.
🐸 Half of Denmark’s species now at risk. A new report from Aarhus University warns that 49% of protected species in Denmark, from frogs and fish to butterflies and beavers, now live under “highly unfavorable” conditions, up from 32% six years ago. Pollution and climate change are pushing habitats to collapse. Experts call it a “failure of nature policy” and urge more national parks and truly wild areas, as current green plans won’t save species already on the brink.
🐺 Denmark’s first wolf patrol takes shape. Twelve volunteers in Oksbøl are preparing to launch the country’s first official ulveværn (wolf protection team) on November 1. Backed by the Ministry for Green Tripartite, the group will respond to wolf sightings and help calm local tensions. Meanwhile, a new wolf count is underway after debate over population data. The last estimate was around 42 wolves. Researchers warn the species remains vulnerable, even as rules now allow limited regulation of “problem wolves.”
💡What is the “danskkanon”? The danskkanon is Denmark’s official literary canon for gymnasiums, a list of authors and works that every student must study to understand the country’s cultural heritage. The new canon, set to take effect in 2026/27, includes seven obligatory writers who form the literary backbone of Danish identity: Holberg, H.C. Andersen, Kierkegaard, Pontoppidan, Blixen, Ditlevsen, and Inger Christensen.
International Community HQ
New reporting
👉 This week we bring you another two interviews with international candidates standing in next month’s elections.
Ali Lewis meets Summer Juul Andersen, standing for the Social Democrats in Lolland Municipality in Zealand. 👉 Read the full story.
Sudaay Tat Haznedar meets Keren Familia Christensen, standing for Venstre in Thisted Municipality in North Denmark. 👉 Read the full story.
🫵 Visit our Elections 2025 mini site to read more interviews, our essential guide to Denmark’s political parties, why local and regional elections matter and much more!
Also this week:
💃 Paulina Stachnik meets the curators of a dance project facilitating greater cultural understanding through movement.
📷 Pratik Hariharan meets the Danish photographer whose innovative approaches are casting Copenhagen’s history in a new light.
New columns
Stephanie Lund highlights how involuntary school absences, especially for children with ADHD or autism, take a huge emotional, educational, and mental toll on both the child and family when early support is missing. Read about early recognition, listening to parents, and timely diagnosis that can dramatically reduce suffering and help children thrive here.
Even if you’re not a Danish citizen, you may qualify to vote in Denmark’s upcoming municipal and regional elections. Many foreign residents who’ve lived in the country for 4+ years (or are from EU/UK/Norway/Iceland) are eligible. Read Kristine’s, one of the Copenhagen candidates, column here.
In Episode 8 of The Little Viking Saga – Det kommer, Emily Ritchie embarks on the daunting yet hopeful journey of potty training her son, embracing Denmark’s relaxed approach of “det kommer” (it will come). She reflects on the universal milestones of parenthood and the Danish philosophy of letting things unfold in their own time. Read here.
Community Noticeboard
💊 Understanding the Danish Healthcare System
New to Denmark? This free webinar explains how the universal healthcare system works, from your CPR number to finding a doctor and using the yellow card. It’s a practical introduction designed for internationals, not a medical lecture. 📅 Wed Oct 22, 17:00–19:00 | 📍Online | Free 👉 [Sign up here]
💻 Capital Series Denmark
Big on open source? Join OpenForum Europe’s Capital Series in Copenhagen and meet EU and national policymakers. Expect discussions on open source strategy, digital policy, and collaboration between Brussels and Denmark. 📅 Thu Oct 23, 12:45–18:00 | 📍Folketinget, Christiansborg, Copenhagen | Free 👉 [Register here]
💼 Mastering the Job Interview
Learn how to ace job interviews in Denmark, from structure and question types to how to project confidence on phone, video, or in-person meetings. Ideal for internationals entering the Danish job market. 📅 Wed Oct 22, 10:00–11:30 | 📍Online | Free 👉 [Register here]
➕ Hosting something relevant to internationals in Denmark? Send it to us at noticeboard@lwid.dk
Denmark in Global Headlines
🌿 “Novo Nordisk eyes comeback with new obesity drug CagriSema” – Seeking Alpha
📖 “Like a scene from his own fairytales: discovering Hans Christian Andersen’s Denmark” – The Guardian
📵 “Denmark plans social media ban for under-15s as PM warns phones are ‘stealing childhoods’” – The Guardian
💨 “Ørsted cuts 2,000 jobs and shifts focus to Europe after U.S. setbacks” – Reuters
It is difficult to classify Borgernes Parti, but I suggest MAGA flatearthers.