Today’s big topic: Half of voters have not decided which party they will vote for in the municipal election
The municipal election in Copenhagen in 2021. Here, Line Barfod and Enhedslisten received about a quarter of the votes, becoming the largest party in Copenhagen.
What’s happening?
If you’re unsure who to vote for in the local elections on November 18, you’re far from alone. According to a survey conducted by Epinion for the Constructive Institute among over 100,000 Danes, 49 percent of voters had not decided on October 13 what they would vote for. In Copenhagen, this number was as high as 52 percent.
Many Danes are still not »tuned in to the local elections«, says Martin Vinæs Larsen from Aarhus University, who is an expert in voter behavior: »It is still primarily for political junkies. As the media starts covering it more, people will typically remember why they vote for the party they usually support in their municipality«.
Why it matters!
On November 18, there is municipal election in Denmark, where voters will decide who will shape their municipality’s future. Among the voters in Copenhagen who have made up their minds, there is currently massive support for Enhedslisten and SF, while support for Socialdemokratiet is significantly lower than it was in the local elections four years ago. This means that for the first time in many decades there might be a change in power at City Hall, since Socialdemokratiet has held the position of Lord Mayor since 1938.
So far many voters are undecided. National elections show a high number of undecided voters, but the proportion is even higher in municipal and regional elections, increasing the uncertainty.
Still curious? Read the full article here.
In other news
– New research center aims to provide more knowledge on women’s health
Over the next four years, the government will allocate 40 million kroner annually to a new research center called Nationalt Center for Forskning i Kvinders Sundhed (National Center for Research in Women’s Health, ed.). The center aims to provide more knowledge and create greater focus on women’s health and diseases related to women.
»We are doing this primarily to help the women who suffer from a lack of effective treatments, but also because there is great potential in reducing the number of women prevented from participating in the labor market due to illness«, Minister for Higher Education and Science Christina Egelund (Moderaterne, M) says in a press release.
– One of the world’s oldest LGBTQIA+ film festivals starts Friday
Looking for something fun to do this weekend? Then head to Nørrebro’s Empire Bio on Friday, October 24, where the 40th edition of the MIX CPH 2025 film festival kicks off – one of the world’s oldest LGBTQIA+ film festivals, which you can experience around the city until November 2. The festival opens with bubbles and a screening of the film ’Rains over Babel’, a queer psychedelic tropical-punk twist on Dante’s Inferno. After the film, there’s a party with dancing and DJs Sinfohme and Téa. Read more here.
– Poet from Faroe Islands wins Nordic literature prize
51-year-old Vónbjørt Vang has won the prestigious literature prize, Nordisk Råds Litteraturpris, for her poem collection ’Svørt orkidé’ (black orchid, ed.). Her poetry revolves around a mother’s grief and fear concerning her teenage son whom she must eventually let the child psychiatric system take responsibility for. This is the third time that a Faroese author has won the prize.
Talk of town: Novo Nordisk consolidates power around one person with new board
71-year-old Lars Rebien Sørensen appointed as new chairman of Novo Nordisk board, marking his return to the company he led from 2000 to 2016.
Almost the entire board of Novo Nordisk is stepping down due to disagreements over how quickly and extensively changes should be implemented in Denmark’s most valuable company.
»We agree on the overall strategy, mission, and ambition for the company, but what we couldn’t agree on was the extent to which new eyes and new perspectives should be brought into play on the board«, said the chairman of the Novo Nordisk Foundation, Lars Rebien Sørensen, at an online press conference Tuesday afternoon. He believes new forces should drive the company forward and called it »a huge failure« that Novo Nordisk had to lay off 9,000 employees in September.
The ‘new eyes’ are partly his own. 71-year-old Lars Rebien Sørensen is being appointed as the new chairman of the board of Novo Nordisk, returning to the company he led between 2000 and 2016.
Read the full article here.
This newsletter features stories originally published in Danish. AI was used to shorten and translate the articles into English, after which a member of the editorial staff reviewed and refined the content.