Frederiksen seeks third term as Denmark holds snap parliamentary election

Copenhagen, March 24 (IANS) People in Denmark are voting on Tuesday for a snap parliamentary election called by Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who is seeking a third term.

The latest polls give the left-wing coalition behind Frederiksen a nine-seat lead over the right bloc. However, none of the two sides are projected to win a majority of the 179 seats in Denmark's parliament, the Folketing, Euro News reported.

Frederiksen, who has been in office since 2019, has been praised for her leadership of not backing down after US President Donald Trump's repeated demands to annex Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of the Denmark which Trump claims the US needs for national security reasons.

During her second term, support for Mette Frederiksen in Denmark reduced as the cost of living increased, something that along with pensions and a potential wealth tax, has been a campaign issue. Frederiksen is known for her strong support for Ukraine amid its war with Russia.

Earlier this month, Frederiksen announced proposals, including potential “emergency brake” on asylum and stringent controls on criminals who do not have legal residence. Her government announced a plan to allow the deportation of foreigners who have been sentenced to at least one year in prison for serious crimes.

Two centre-right challengers - Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen of the liberal Venstre (Left) party and Alex Vanopslagh (34) of the opposition Liberal Alliance (LA), hope to replace Mette Frederiksen as Denmark PM, Euro News reported.

Meanwhile, the anti-immigration Danish People’s Party (DF) seems well-placed to make a come back after a weak performance during the previous election in 2022.

The issue of Greenland did not get much attention during the election campaign in Denmark. Instead, the campaign in Denmark has focused on domestic issues, including inflation, high nitrate levels in agricultural water and welfare state.

During her address in Folketing in February, Frederiksen said that voters would decide "what direction Denmark will take over the next four years," Xinhua News Agency reported. The vote will decide the makeup of the 179-member parliament, which includes seats representing Greenland and the Faroe Islands.

--IANS

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