War tax; Low interest rates; Psychiatric emergency hotline
Last Week in Denmark (26.01-02.02) Episode 4 Year 5
TOP 3 News
We need 90 billion DKK to live up to the 5% NATO requirement for defense spending. We either need to work more, cut welfare, or introduce a war tax.
Denmark’s National Bank continues to cut interest rates. They are expected to go as low as 1.1% by summer.
You will be able to call 112 starting from 2026 in case of psychiatric emergencies.
Illustration made by Diana Bălașa
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Editor HQ
State of Denmark
“Greenland should consider rejoining the European Union.” MEP Morten Løkkegaard
Hello, February. As spring quickly approaches, so do large events on planet Earth. For some reason, significant events tend to happen in the month of February. Perhaps it‘s because people are finally out of the "welcome to a new year" mindset and feel ready to act and work.
Will this February also bring something that derails the monotony of our daily lives? Hopefully not. Yet, the last week of January has already been a "hot week" for Denmark. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen invited the four Nordic leaders into her home to discuss a closer regional relationship. She toured European capitals to drum up support for Greenland’s geopolitical concerns. She also announced a major investment of billions of DKK into Arctic military capabilities.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the Atlantic, the United States has managed to secure an influential supporter among Greenland’s leading politicians — one who is increasingly vocal about pushing for an independence referendum. And in the end, that would be the only way the U.S. could "buy" Greenland. The strategy is simple: buy a local spokesperson, buy votes in a future referendum, buy the acceptance of Greenland’s Parliament, pressure Denmark into acknowledging the results, and grant Greenland brief independence. Then, buy more support, organize another referendum — this time to join the U.S. — and buy the necessary votes. If successful, this would mark the first U.S. territorial expansion in 80 years. A potential legacy for Trump, but a Pandora’s box for the world.
If, at any point, Greenland becomes part of the United States, the global order will shift irreversibly. The world could become an open market where powerful nations feel emboldened to claim territories from weaker ones. International law and institutions would be rendered meaningless, and borders mere lines in the sand — quickly swept away by economic deals, political influence, and various forms of modern warfare.
The people of Europe must recognize that there is only one viable path forward: a stronger and more united European Union. In an increasingly unstable world, where major powers seek to reshape the global status quo, our collective strength is the only safeguard for our way of life. We must stand together, not just for ourselves but for the future of a rules-based international order.
Greenland is frequently in world news at the moment, but much less has been said about the people who live there. Who are they? How do they really feel about the US and Denmark? How can we get involved in improving the lives of people living there? Last Week in Denmark’s reporter Ahmet Akooç gets closer.
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Images of the week
🐺 Wolf on the hunt. Rare footage of a wolf chasing a herd of red deer near Brande.
🥘 Nordic leaders' surprise dinner party – No press, no official statements, just four prime ministers and a homemade meal. Mette Frederiksen hosted the leaders of Sweden, Norway, and Finland in her Copenhagen apartment for an emergency dinner summit. On the menu? Leek pie, chicken with applesauce, and Mikkeller beers.
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Danish Politics HQ
New laws
Psychiatric emergency hotline: The government will invest 113 million DKK in 2025 to establish a psychiatric emergency hotline. The hotline will be integrated with the 112 emergency service from 2026. Instead of calling a long number that is only available during certain hours and different in every region, it will be just 112 — accessible anytime, day or night — making it easier and faster for people in crisis to get the help they need.
12 initiatives to combat discrimination against Greenlandic people: Among the most notable ones, you can find the right to a Greenlandic passport, the introduction of mandatory lessons about Greenland and Faroe Islands during history classes throughout the kingdom, new funding for civil society projects that combat discrimination, money to train more Greenlandic translators, and a dedicated phone line in Greenlandic at the Institute for Human Rights, where discrimination can be reported. Read more about Greenland and how you can support the Greenlandic people here.
Increased military presence in the Arctic region: Denmark is stepping up its game. The government signed off on a 14.6 billion DKK defense upgrade for the Arctic and North Atlantic, featuring three new Arctic ships, long-range drones, and boosted satellite surveillance. And this is just phase one — another major agreement is expected in mid-2025 to further ramp up deterrence and defense.
On January 1 this year, a new law prohibiting the flying of most national flags in Denmark came into effect. Our lead reporter Ali Lewis delves into what the law means for you and the surprising story behind its introduction.
Law proposals
“It should be easier to sue in case of defamation on social media,” says the Committee for Media Responsibility. The committee was established two years ago to propose updated media legislation. They also want to expand the criminal code on defamation to include new media actors (influencers, bloggers, etc.) and establish a media ombudsman. A media reform is expected to come later this year, and it will likely contain these proposals.
Reform of the Religious Communities Act: A law that contains several changes to the way religion is organized in Denmark will be debated in Parliament this spring. Among the expected changes, religious communities can lose their recognition if they invite foreign speakers who are on the “hate preachers” list. Also, foreign funding will have to be disclosed. As part of the reform, a working group has been established to propose initiatives to address unlawful religious marriage and divorce practices.
Denmark’s face-covering ban in public places could soon extend to schools and universities. That’s one of 13 new recommendations from the Commission for the Forgotten Women’s Struggle, which argues that educational institutions shouldn’t enable honor-related social control.
Political scene
Denmark’s prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, traveled this week to Berlin, Paris, and Brussels to ensure European support in the Greenland situation. France offered to deploy soldiers in Greenland. Other EU foreign ministers mirrored the French sentiment and sent the message to Copenhagen that they are also ready “to deploy troops” if necessary.
Danish Economics HQ
Our money
🚀 Danish companies get a tech boost — without breaking the bank. Innovation is expensive, risky, and often out of reach for smaller businesses. But Denmark just made it a whole lot easier. The government is pumping 357 million DKK per year into seven GTS institutes, which will develop cutting-edge tech in areas like AI, quantum tech, and energy — and here’s the kicker: any Danish company can access it.
💰 War tax or budget cuts? The NATO bill is coming. Want Denmark to meet Trump's 5% NATO demand? That’ll be 30 billion DKK for every 1% increase — a sum that economists say won’t fit in the current budget. That leaves three options:
1️⃣ Work more. (Unpopular.)
2️⃣ Cut welfare. (Very unpopular.)
3️⃣ Introduce a war tax. (Cue political meltdown.)
📉 Good news for borrowers: interest rates are going down! Denmark’s National Bank just cut interest rates by 0.25%, bringing it down to 2.35%. Economists expect two more cuts by summer, potentially landing at 1.1%. Why? Inflation is under control, but the economy needs a boost after the EU’s economic growth flatlined at 0% last quarter.
State of the markets
⚡ One charging point for every 200 people in Denmark! Denmark is juicing up its EV game. In the last quarter of 2024, the number of public charging points skyrocketed — because, surprise, 60% of all newly registered cars were electric. The result? We now have one charging station for every 11 electric cars.
🌱 Seaweed: The next green gold? Denmark and Korea think so. Forget kale — seaweed is the real superfood of the future. It grows without land, needs no fertilizer, and has massive potential not just in food, but in bioplastics, medicine, and green innovation. A new Danish-Korean Blue Bioeconomy Alliance is connecting researchers and businesses to turn seaweed into a sustainable industry powerhouse.
🚗 Ditching Tesla? Musk’s Trump support sparks backlash in Denmark. Elon Musk’s endorsement of Trump is leaving some Tesla owners in Denmark with a bad taste — and a tough decision. Car dealers and FDM report a drop in Tesla interest, with buyers actively avoiding the brand for political reasons.
Entrepreneurship
Free business course opportunity: Join “Business Economics for Entrepreneurs,” organized by Aalborg Institute for Development and Iværksætterdanmark. When? Every Tuesday 17:00-20:00 (February 4-25). Sign up here.
Danish Daily Life HQ
🥈 Silver medal for Denmark at the world championship for culinary arts thanks to Bocuse d'Or. Last time (2023), Denmark took the gold medal. This time, France got it. Check Denmark’s entry dish here.
🌳 Denmark hits major milestone: 75,000 hectares of untouched forest! With the final round of designations complete, most of the state’s forests are now left to nature — no logging, no human interference. Just trees growing old, moss taking over, and nature doing its thing. Denmark is pushing for 100,000 hectares of untouched forest in the coming years.
🚌 Denmark’s oldest bus driver isn’t hitting the brakes anytime soon. At 82 years old, Torben Alstrup-Nielsen isn’t just driving bus number 751 — he’s also proving that retirement isn’t for everyone. Once a press officer, marketing economist, and business consultant, Torben switched gears after a cancer diagnosis and became a bus driver at 74. Now, he’s been named “Best Over 60’ — a recognition for Denmark’s senior workforce.
🎖️ Danish military service sees a surge in volunteers amid rising global tensions. Denmark may no longer be in a time of peace, but that isn’t scaring off young Danes — quite the opposite. So many are signing up for military service that there’s now a wait list of up to 18 months to join the Danish Armed Forces.
🕊️ Denmark’s loneliest island loses its last resident. For years, Hirsholmene had just one permanent resident: Jørgen Nielsen, a former lighthouse keeper and fisherman who refused to leave even after his wife passed away. But now, at 82 years old, Jørgen has passed away, leaving Denmark’s northernmost archipelago without a single inhabitant. Hirsholmene joins a growing list of abandoned Danish islands — at least 36 have been permanently depopulated in the last century.
📚 Sherry, chatter, and Icelandic literature — Gudhjem’s library is anything but quiet. When the small Bornholm library faced closure last year, locals rallied, wrote letters, and proved the space could be more than just a book depository. Their efforts worked, and now, instead of closing, the library is thriving with community-driven events. And this isn’t just a Gudhjem trend — libraries across Denmark are evolving into cultural hubs, offering talks, music, and social gatherings to keep small-town life vibrant.
🚔 Are Danish police “washing” cases? Lawyers and officers sound the alarm. A shocking claim is rocking the Danish police — officers say they’ve been pressured to ignore investigations to lower caseloads. The so-called “washing cases” phenomenon allegedly means deliberately skipping basic investigative steps, like collecting surveillance footage or questioning suspects.
🐛“Caterpillar from Hell” invasion in Odense. Bad news for allergy sufferers and oak trees alike — Denmark has its first confirmed population of the oak processionary moth, a notorious caterpillar known for its toxic, skin-irritating hairs. Germany has already shut down parks and roads due to infestations, and Odense officials are looking at similar strategies.
🏫 Inclusion 2.0: will history repeat itself in Danish schools? Déjà vu? Municipalities are once again pushing for more children to be included in regular schools, despite the failed 2012 inclusion reform. The idea: fewer kids in special education, more resources for mainstream schools. But parents, teachers, and advocacy groups are raising the alarm, fearing a repeat of past mistakes.
🚨 Danish authorities warn: Puff Bars (e-cigarettes) laced with dangerous synthetic drugs. That colorful puff bar in a teenager’s hand? It might not just contain nicotine. Danish forensic labs have detected synthetic and semi-synthetic cannabinoids in some e-cigarette liquids and puff bars, which can be far more dangerous than cannabis — causing acute poisoning, hallucinations, and severe psychosis.
New regulations around Kontanthjælp, the Danish cash welfare assistance program for individuals navigating unemployment or other difficult financial circumstances. LWID reporter Gosia Kozlowska has all you need to know.
137 million DKK will go towards tackling negative social control in Denmark over the next three years, with the Danish government determined to tackle the issue. Laura Matheson from our reporting team takes a closer look at what this means.
International Community HQ
PopCultGang is an Aarhus institution, a lovingly curated retro toy and game store that makes you feel like a child again the second you walk through the door. Our reporter Ali Lewis talks to owners Mathias and Amalie about how they turned their passions into a successful business and built a nurturing community for secret collectors in Denmark and beyond.
Trish Knudsen, a native Australian now living in Copenhagen, will be writing a monthly column, Culture Shock. The column will take a regular look at film, TV, music, arts, and more in Denmark, examining how Danish culture can help internationals feel a greater sense of belonging. She will also be speaking to internationals who have built a creative life here in Denmark.
Adrienn Ravn, a social psychologist originally from Hungary who recently gained Danish citizenship, introduces her new monthly column, Inside Out. It’s all about unpacking the human experience, exploring self-awareness, growth, and life’s transitions from an immigrant perspective.
And Ali Lewis is back with a new edition of Found in Translation, celebrating a whole year in Denmark and revealing what her two teenage sons really think about living here.
Why do so many Germans want to live in Denmark? Daniel Schneider, a native German, has been talking to some fellow Germans to find out.
International media about Denmark
Danish PM in whirlwind EU trip as Greenland unease grows (BBC)
Denmark and Other Nations Under Pressure Seek Lobbyists With Trump Ties (The New York Times)
Why is “taxing the rich” not an option of what you can do? The wealthy few have really distracted us from thinking about them I guess