A long-serving mayor didn’t feel the consequences of the constant abuse until after he left politics. The toxic climate of debate is keeping Danes away from politics.
22 months ago, Thomas Gyldal Petersen would have said something along the lines of, ‘No, the harsh tone and the abuse don’t get to me and don’t affect our policies.’ It would also have been an honest answer, one he likely would have elaborated on by saying that as a politician, you »can’t be made of glass«.
He stepped down on Jan. 2, 2025, after 13 years as the Social Democratic Party’s mayor in the municipality of Herlev just outside Copenhagen.
But don’t you worry. Your Politiken Edition subscription is just one click away. We are looking forward to bringing you a handpicked selection of Politiken's stories - translated into English. Your subscription includes unlimited access to The New York Times.
Subscribe now1
2
3
4
5
6
© All material on this page is subject to the applicable copyright law.Read policy
