Today’s big topic: Mette Frederiksen said something on Monday evening that Politiken’s political analyst had never heard before
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen is visiting HRH King Frederik aboard the royal yacht, docked in Odense, to inform him that a new government can be formed comprising Socialdemokratiet, SF, Radikale Venstre and Moderaterne.
What’s happening?
On Monday evening, Mette Frederiksen stepped aboard the royal Yacht Dannebrog to tell King Frederik she is able to form a government.
At the harbor in Odense, a number of residents had turned out with flags and communal singing to wave goodbye to the royal couple. But they suddenly became the soundtrack to a smiling Mette Frederiksen stepping aboard Dannebrog as the sun set over the harbor. The spin doctors of Socialdemokratiet (S) could hardly have scripted a better finale to the 69-day government talks.
After some time, Mette Frederiksen returned to shore and stood in front of the press.
»I have been with His Majesty the King in Odense and informed him that, after lengthy negotiations, a government can be formed, and it is a government consisting of SF, Radikale Venstre (RV), Moderaterne (M), and of course us«, she announced.
Afterward, she said that a press conference will be held tomorrow, where the government platform will be presented. On Wednesday, the ministers will be received by the King at Amalienborg and presented to the public.
Why it matters!
After 69 days, the longest government-formation negotiations in Denmark’s history, a new government can finally be formed. There wasn’t much policy in what Mette Frederiksen said Monday evening after her visit with the King. Still, she did lift the veil a bit on what the government platform contains.
»It’s a government platform that is good for the people who are in Denmark, for the generations to come – and also for the animals«, she said.
And it is striking that Mette Frederiksen highlights the animals, Politiken’s political analyst Elisabet Svane argues.
»I don’t recall hearing that before, and it suggests that pig farming also shows up in the government platform. Maybe as a four-party agreement that will look at Danish pig production«, she says:
»If I were a pig, I’d be listening closely when the government platform is made public«.
Still curious? Read Elisabeth Svane’s analysis here.
In other news
– Reactions to the new government from opposition and supporting parties
Danmarksdemokraterne’s (DD) leader Inger Støjberg lashes out at Lars Løkke Rasmussen in an interview with DR: »In my view, it’s a treacherous act by Lars Løkke Rasmussen to take part in a government like this, one that is based on Enhedslisten’s (Ø) national executive committee«.
Enhedslisten themself sends a tribute to Mette Frederiksen’s election call and, in a post on Instagram, asks to be given the floor for a statement of a »special character«. As a supporting party to the government, Enhedslisten has a strong interest in telling its voters why it is backing a government that includes Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Moderaterne.
The leader of Liberal Alliance (LA), Alex Vanopslagh, regrets that the forming a center-right government did not suceed. He tells DR: »We had come together around a solid set of economic reforms, which Lars Løkke left because it was more important to him to be a minister«.
Dansk Folkeparti’s (DF) political spokesman, Peter Kofod, told TV 2 News on Monday evening that the incoming government »worries« him »enormously«. Especially on immigration.
Signe Wenneberg from Alternativet (Å), welcomes the incoming government. »It will be the greenest government ever and the one with the strongest commitment to animal welfare«, she writes in a post shared on Instagram.
– Agriculture’s expensive climate technology emits more of a potent greenhouse gas than expected. It threatens the climate targets.
There are significantly larger emissions of the potent greenhouse gas methane from Denmark’s biogas plants – now Danish agriculture’s most important climate technology – than official reports show. That is the conclusion of a new report from the green think tank Concito. »Methane emissions from biogas could have major consequences for whether we meet our climate and EU obligations«, says Karsten Capion, a senior analyst at Concito.
Biogas is one of the climate technologies the state spends the most money on. Subsidies for roughly 150 biogas plants are expected to reach 2.4 billion kroner this year, rising to 3.6 billion kroner in 2030. When the digested biomass – known in the trade as digestate – comes out of the plants, it still gives off methane. In fact, it emits twice as much as leaks from the plants themselves. That off-gassing is equivalent, climate-wise, to a million tons of CO2, or 4 percent of Denmark’s greenhouse-gas emissions if, in 2030, the country meets its climate target of a 70 percent reduction.
Read the full article here.
–Five new Danish restaurants have received one Michelin star, while Kadeau is the only newcomer to be awarded three.
Lille Mølle on Christianshavn, which last year received six hearts from Politiken’s reviewer Joakim Grundahl, was the first Danish restaurant to pick up one star at the evening’s ceremony. It was followed by Akme, also in Copenhagen, after which Bach and Nurup from Aalborg were called to the stage to receive a Michelin star. Restaurant Okê, at Ruths Hotel in Skagen, also received its first star. The Jutland restaurants were followed by Esse, in Nordhavn in Copenhagen.
No new Danish restaurants received two stars, but Kadeau in Copenhagen was awarded its third. Noma, as expected, lost its three stars, since it does not have a permanent address and operates as a pop-up.
Talk of town: Becoming the greenest government ever is no simple matter
Martin Lidegaard (RV) – here with his party colleague Samira Nawa – dreams of the greenest government ever. But it is difficult to define and measure what it would take to crown a government with that title, a professor says.
Denmark’s next government must be the greenest ever.
Martin Lidegaard, the political leader of Radikale Venstre (RV), has said so. Alternativet’s (Å) Franciska Rosenkilde has said so. Recently, the acting climate minister, Lars Aagaard (Moderaterne), said it as well.
With the formation of a new government has been announced, with the participation of RV, alongside Socialdemokratiet, SF and Moderaterne, with support from Enhedslisten (Ø) and Alternativet (Å) there is definitely potential and ambition for new green policy.
But ambition is one thing. How do you measure whether a government actually ends up greener than its predecessors once it gets down to work with its new cabinet?
Peter Birch Sørensen, former chair of the Danish Council on Climate Change, laughs on the phone after Politiken has spent 15 minutes trying to get him to point to a specific number, parameter, or threshold where you can truly measure it and draw that conclusion.
That would be oversimplifying things, he says.
»It’s very much about getting some things that aren’t going according to plan back on track so we can reach the 70 percent target – and go beyond 70 percent. This isn’t just a matter of naming a number – of saying, ‘Now we’re going to cut by this much.’ The challenge is turning it into reality with concrete measures«, he begins.
He concludes, however, that »all of this shows up in the number that tells us how much we emit (CO2, ed.). That’s what it’s all about. So how is it going with reducing emissions across the different sectors? That, you can measure«.
Read more about what it requires to become the greenest government ever 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.