Mette Frederiksen Tasked with Leading Government Formation Talks

Acting Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen (Social Democrats) has, following today’s round of consultations with the King, been appointed to lead negotiations on the formation of a government.

This comes after representatives from the Social Democrats, the Socialist People’s Party, the Red-Green Alliance, the Social Liberal Party and the Alternative—together holding 84 seats—recommended that Mette Frederiksen should lead the negotiations.

According to a press release from the Royal Household, the Social Democrats stated during the consultations that they believe the party’s leader, Mette Frederiksen, should lead the talks on forming a new government.

The Socialist People’s Party indicated that it supports the Social Democratic leader as royal investigator with a view to forming a centre-left government with SF’s participation. SF will vote in favour of a vote of no confidence in any government of which it is not a part.

The Red-Green Alliance stated that it supports Mette Frederiksen as negotiation leader with a view to forming a government based on its mandates and without participation from Venstre, the Conservatives, the Denmark Democrats, the Liberal Alliance, the Danish People’s Party and the Citizens’ Party. The party will also oppose any government that has not, prior to taking office, entered into an agreement satisfactory to the Red-Green Alliance regarding the political framework of its policies.

The Social Liberal Party indicated that it supports Mette Frederiksen as royal investigator with the aim of forming Denmark’s greenest government, reaching across the political centre with Social Liberal participation.

The Alternative stated that it can support Mette Frederiksen as royal investigator on the condition that she seeks to form a government with the red-green bloc (The Alternative, the Red-Green Alliance, SF and the Social Liberal Party)—possibly with participation from the Moderates—with the aim of setting a green and socially responsible political course that also improves animal welfare. The party will oppose a new government if no acceptable agreement on political priorities and frameworks is reached beforehand.

Centre-right parties backed Troels Lund Poulsen

Representatives from Venstre, the Liberal Alliance, the Danish People’s Party, the Conservative People’s Party and the Denmark Democrats—together holding 73 seats—pointed to Venstre leader Troels Lund Poulsen as the person to lead the negotiations.

The Liberal Alliance recommended that the King appoint Troels Lund Poulsen as royal investigator with the task of building support for a workable government among the broad non-socialist majority in Parliament (the Social Liberal Party, the Moderates, Venstre, the Conservatives, the Liberal Alliance, the Denmark Democrats, the Danish People’s Party and the Citizens’ Party).

The Danish People’s Party also supported Troels Lund Poulsen with the aim of forming a centre-right government that 1) explicitly seeks to introduce measures leading to a net emigration of Muslims from Denmark, and 2) does not include participation from the Social Democrats and the Moderates.

According to the press release, the Conservative People’s Party had no specific demands when backing Troels Lund Poulsen.

The Denmark Democrats also supported Troels Lund Poulsen with the aim of forming a centre-right government focused on lowering taxes and duties, tightening immigration policy, improving the balance between rural and urban areas, and ensuring greater pragmatism in the green transition.

The Moderates supported their own leader, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, as negotiation leader with the aim of negotiating the political basis for forming a government across the centre, including clarifying who should lead such a government.

The Citizens’ Party stated that, given the parliamentary situation, most parties would support Mette Frederiksen as royal investigator. While the party would not do so, it chose not to point to any specific candidate.

Government with SF and the Social Liberal Party

Based on the parties’ positions, the King has asked acting Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen to lead negotiations on forming a government with the participation of the Socialist People’s Party and the Social Liberal Party.