Win an iPad; Travel opportunities; 30,000 potential jobs lost

Last Week in Denmark (03.11-10.11) Episode 38 Year 4

Editor HQ 

State of Denmark 

Welcome to a new world! The unfortunate happened in the United States, and now we’ll see the consequences it will have on our everyday lives. From an economic point of view alone, the United States is one of Denmark’s main export markets, and if tariffs become reality, our companies will be impacted. The expected loss is in the billions of DKK. 30,000 people could lose their jobs.

In the next newsletter, we will cover the other impacts that the Trump presidency are expected to have on our life in Denmark. Until then, we are happy to announce that, in partnership with Bloomtree Technologies, we will run a referral campaign again. Our goal? 1,000 new subscribers by December 13. 

Thanks to the sponsorship from Bloomtree Tech, we are able to provide the following prizes to the top five people that convince the most people to subscribe between November 10 and December 13:

• First place - Apple iPad Air 3, 2019 Cellular, 10.5”, 256 GB

• Second place - Dell Latitude 5410, 14” screen, Intel Core i5-1021U 1.60 GHZ 

• Third place - Apple iPad Air 3, 2019, 10,5”, 64 GB

• Fourth place - Apple iPad 8, 2020, 10.2”, 32 GB

• Fifth place - Apple iPad 8, 2020, 10.2”, 32 GB 

*Read here the terms and conditions of the competition. 

How to participate? 

1. Press on the “Share” / “Refer a friend” buttons. Send an invitation to your friends, co-workers, family, neighbors, and other people you think should be reading this newsletter. Every time someone subscribes from the link you sent, you will get a point. The people with the most points at the end win the prizes. 

2. You can also find your referral link on the “Leaderboard” page. This only works if you are already signed in to Substack. If you are not, just go to “Sign in," enter your email address, and you will get an email that will give you access. 

3. Each language edition of Last Week in Denmark has a leaderboard, and you can accumulate points from all of them. You can already see people with points on the leaderboard from the last campaign (those points will be deducted from the total). We are able to see the up-to-date numbers, and we will announce the top five in each newsletter until the final winners are announced on December 15. 

Thank you for reading and sharing Last Week in Denmark!

LWID Universe 

Our partner organization, AMIS - A More Inclusive Society, is very close to obtaining a significant grant that will allow them to build advocacy network clubs for internationals around Denmark. These clubs have the purpose of empowering internationals to have influence on local society and bring about desired changes. However, there is one last hurdle they need to pass. They need 50 more members by November 12. 

If you want to support a 30-year-old organization that has created countless humanitarian projects in Eastern Europe and Central Asia; if you want to support an organization dedicated to the empowerment of internationals in Denmark; if you want to be active in a local network dedicated to the well-being of internationals, then sign up here as a member. 

Bonus! Members have access to EU-funded travel opportunities aimed at enriching their skills, competences, and understanding of other cultures. 

Linkedin - Instagram - Facebook - LWID App - Merchandise Store - Podcast - Website

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Danish Politics HQ

Weekly political overview 

Historically, the four largest cities in Denmark have been run by social democrats. Its been more than a century uninterrupted in Copenhagen and Aalborg. Will they be able to maintain leadership after next year’s local elections? Difficult to say. The prime minister's popularity is mediocre (Socialdemokratiet is hovering at 20%, which is low for the party that has been largest in Denmark since the ‘30s), several very popular mayors ended their mandates before their time, and a lot of young candidates haven’t built yet a strong, popular base. 

Good news for soldier veterans suffering from PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). From early 2026, veterans will no longer need to prove that their PTSD is a consequence of the deployment. Instead, there is a reversed burden of proof, which means that the authorities need to prove that PTSD is not a consequence of deployment abroad. At least 400 cases where the PTSD diagnosis has been rejected will be reopened, and the veterans will be eligible for benefits. 

Proposals from political parties

• The new Digitalization Minister (Caroline Stage Olsen from Moderaterne) wants to declare war on the algorithms and end the curse of “forever scrolling.” This is the next stage of the “war on screens” declared by the government not so long ago. 

Snapshots from the political stage 

• Internal struggles at Enhedslisten. A faction called “Red Left” wants to move the party more to the left, calling out the recent steer towards the center and the compromising type of politics pursued. To avoid an open faction war, the current leadership will organize an extraordinary general assembly, where they will change the rules so that they can exclude the members of the “Red Left” faction. 

• Several social democrat mayors are pressuring the Minister for the Green Tripartite Agreement to be more ambitious in the reduction of nitrogen discharged by farmers in coastal waters. The mayors want to reduce nitrogen by 14,100 tons while the Minister prefers a scenario with a 12,900-ton reduction. What’s at stake? The future of aquatic life in coastal waters. 

• A book about the Danish Royal House’s relationship with the Nazis in the 1930s has created waves in society and started a debate about the role of Danish Nazi collaborationists. 

Focus

Liberal Alliance (Libertarian Conservative), Konservative (Conservatives), DF (Nationalist Conservatives), DD (Nationalist Populist), and Enhedslisten (Red Green Alliance) have been kicked out of the negotiations for the 2025 finance law due to unrealistic demands. The government was willing to negotiate the distribution of 500 million DKK, while the five parties had demands well exceeding 12 billion DKK without being able to say from where the extra money would come from. 

• This is an unexpectedly favourable situation for the other three opposition parties left at the table. SF (Socialists), Alternativet (Greens), and Radikale Venstre (Social Liberals) will be able to share the 500 million DKK up for negotiation for their own priorities. Fewer parties, more money to share. :) 

• Enhedslisten wanted to increase the national pension by 5,500 DKK per year and the early retirement pension by 7,500 DKK per year. The cost would have been 10 billion DKK. 

• The government has the majority needed to pass the finance law. However, there is an unwritten rule that the government will always leave some money in the budget to finance ideas coming from the opposition parties. 

Danish Economics HQ

Weekly economics overview 

Cheaper electricity from December 1 for customers in Copenhagen and surroundings. One million customers that receive electricity via the grid company Radius will get a 15% reduction in the electricity transport tariffs. 

Dental care subsidies for people in treatment with psychopharmaceuticals or psychotropic drugs. The Ministry of Health announced that the dental care subsidy scheme will be expanded to include people with severe mental illness. Why? The psycho-drugs cause dental problems as they inhibit the production of saliva in the mouth. 

The Trump victory negatively impacted the Danish stock market. The shares of two large Danish companies, Vestas and Ørsted, fell by 12%, while the shares of Mærsk fell by 6%. Why? Trump wants to stop wind turbines in the USA, and Vestas sells 30% of its production there. For Ørsted, the USA is one of the most important markets, while Mærsk stands to lose as shipping between Europe and the USA will slowdown in the aftermath of a tariff war. 

If Trump follows through with the promise to raise customs tariffs by 10%, then hundreds of small and medium companies in Denmark that export to the USA will be affected. Many companies have already started to search for alternative markets, as a 10% tariff will make exporting to the USA unsustainable. 30,000 jobs are at risk. 

Focus

A wave of people in Denmark have started to convert their 6% fixed-rate interest mortgage loans to 4% fixed-rate interest. Even more people are expected to convert their mortgage loans once a lower fixed-rate interest appears as an option. 

• Unfortunately, a lower fixed-rate mortgage loan might not become a reality if Trump manages to implement all the promised reforms. One of his reforms is to implement a massive tax cut for everyone, which will result in a higher inflation level, which will delay further cuts to the interest rates. Globally, we are connected to the US economy, and we depend on its wellbeing. 

Entrepreneurship Corner

Learn about entrepreneurship on the online platform BoostUp from Danish Entrepreneurs. Most of the videos have been created in collaboration with the Aalborg Institute for Development. Check out the video “AI solutions for business,” as it has a lot of tips and tricks for entrepreneurs.

Last call for business owners to get digitalization support in 2024! If you had a minimum average of two full-time employees in 2023, you can still qualify for a 50,000 DKK voucher, which can be used for your digitalization needs (website, online marketing, webshop, video ads, cybersecurity, branding, etc.). Write to np@aalborgid.com (Bernardo).

Tip of the week! With the first employee comes the headache of needing to have a payroll program that can create payslips and report taxes. A very intuitive program is salary.dk. With this program, you can automate everything, so all you have to do every month is press a single button. The program sends the payslip and the salary, reports the taxes, pays them, and even bookkeeps the transactions. (This mention is for informational purposes only and is not a paid advertisement. There is no affiliation between salary.dk and Last Week in Denmark.)

Daily Life in Denmark HQ

Insights into the Danish way of life

If you are reading this on Sunday, November 10, turn your ovens on – it’s time for a roast. This day marks the annual celebration of Mortensaften, or St. Martin’s Eve, the evening before St. Martin’s Day. For the Danes, this is a traditional holiday with a mix of legend and cozy food rituals, particularly the custom of having roasted duck or goose at dinner.

The origin of the dish is related to the story behind Sankt Morten, who was a Roman soldier that turned into a Christian monk. According to legend, at some point he was chosen to become bishop but felt unworthy of the role and hid behind a flock of geese. The noisy birds betrayed his hiding spot, and so he became a bishop.

Although the day is not a national holiday in Denmark, it is widely celebrated in the country, especially by families. Some restaurants even offer traditional Mortensaften dishes as it is a good excuse for Danes to enjoy Danish cuisine and connect with loved ones over a meal with historical significance. Because of the time of year and its characteristic roasted bird, it could be compared to a holiday such as Thanksgiving.

If you want to celebrate it at home, here are some extra tips: the duck or goose is typically eaten stuffed and roasted, often with apples and prunes. Alongside the meat, you can have some caramelized potatoes with gravy (can it get more Danish than this?!), as well as red cabbage flavored with sugar, vinegar, and some currant or cranberry.

Weekly overview

From this week, you can give access to your family members or other relatives to read, write, and send mail via your e-Boks. 

21,827 young people under 18 years old regularly take sleeping supplements. The number of users has increased by 14% in 2023 compared to 2022. It is expected that the percentage increase for 2024 will be even higher. More than a quarter of the young people that use melatonin have no diagnosis of a sleep disorder and are otherwise healthy. Rather than taking pills, it’s better to focus on changing one’s lifestyle: no screens one to two hours before sleep, establish sleeping patterns (wake up and go to sleep at roughly the same hour), and maintain an active lifestyle (eat well and do sports). 

Beware of the summerhouse scams on Facebook. If an offer is too good to be true, then most likely it is a scam. Especially when you use a social media platform to book a summerhouse. A recent documentary from DR shows how dozens have been tricked into paying tens of thousands of DKK to rent a summerhouse that doesn’t exist. 

International Community in Denmark HQ

Elisabeth McClure is back with the second episode of the column “Belonging.” The title is “Feeling isolated? Blame the licorice.” 

Excerpt: “You get your first pay-slip but can’t understand it because it’s in Danish. You reach for (what you think is) a favorite chocolate and discover it’s actually full of liquorice. No stores sell your favorite spices. You miss your doctor’s appointment while sitting in the waiting room because you didn’t know to scan your yellow card on arrival.”

Florin Lungu published a second article in the series about leadership and teams. The title is “Building Trust in a Culturally Diverse Team: The Danish Way”.

Excerpt: “It’s one of those words that can feel as intangible as air yet as solid as a handshake. In Denmark, trust is woven into the very fabric of workplace culture. It’s almost a currency, fueling collaboration and accountability. But when you’re leading a multicultural team, building trust becomes a little more nuanced.” 

Ahmet Akkoç continues the series about bicycle culture in Denmark. The second episode title is “Bicycle Culture in Denmark: Picking A Bike!”

Excerpt: “There’s no arguing over taste, as the saying goes. Every rider will need a different bike, suitable for them. The aim of this guide is to help you find the perfect bike for you in Denmark.”

Maria Clara Medeiros also published an article on our LinkedIn page. The title is “How to Network as an Introvert: Building Authentic and Valuable Relationships”. 

Announcement Board

Aarhus, November 16, 10:30: Join us for "Cross-Pressed: Kyrgyzstan's Civil Society Between Russia and China" by AMIS, where experts from Bishkek discuss how Kyrgyzstan's civil society navigates challenges from its powerful neighbors. This event highlights the resilience of Kyrgyz society and inspires awareness of global citizenship. As you sit down to a plate of plov, know that you're not just tasting rice and meat but centuries of history, unity, and strength—reminding us that no matter the challenges, we are stronger together.

Odense, November 19: Remember to buy your ticket for this year’s biggest entrepreneurial community event in Odense. With a ticket to Ignite 24, you’re guaranteed a larger network of founders, investors, advisors, and other good acquaintances.

Online, November 19, 17:00-18:30: Join this live Q&A with the Danish Tax Agency, which consists of a prerecorded video and a live Q&A. In the prerecorded video, the Danish Tax Agency gives you an introduction to the tax system. Here, you learn what your tax money is spent on, and how you pay the right amount of tax. 

International media about Denmark HQ

What It Means To Be Wealthy In Denmark (Forbes)

Ozempic, Wegovy sales inject wealth into Novo Nordisk home country of Denmark (CBS News)

How's Life? 2024 - Country notes: Denmark (OECD)

Did you know you can read Last Week in Denmark in six other languages?
Romanian - Polish - Spanish - Turkish - Italian - German