Today’s big topic: A harsh tone and harassment are pushing Danes away from politics and public debate

What’s happening?

Harassment, threats and personal attacks are becoming an increasingly common part of political life in Denmark – and politicians say it is taking a toll. Thomas Gyldal Petersen, who stepped down as mayor of Herlev, a municipality just outside Copenhagen, in January 2025 after 13 years, says he only realized how much the constant stream of abuse had affected him after leaving politics.

»I built up armor. You become tough yourself and harsher in your rhetoric than you actually want to be«, he says. Today, he works in the private sector and describes the absence of daily insults and threats as an »enormous relief«.

A new public survey shows that the problem extends far beyond individual politicians. Nearly nine in 10 Danes say harassment of politicians is a problem for democracy, while 74 percent believe it can discourage citizens from getting involved in politics. Research from Aarhus University also shows that nearly seven in 10 members of Parliament receive intimidating messages on social media every month, and 15 percent receive outright threats. More than four in 10 say harassment has made them avoid certain topics or opinions.

Why it matters!

The concern is that an increasingly hostile political environment could change who is willing to enter politics – and who feels able to stay. Leif Lahn Jensen (The Social Democratic Party), first deputy speaker in Parliament, says he regularly meets people who are interested in politics but do not want to expose themselves or their families to abuse.

»At some point, there will be only tough guys like me left, and not ordinary people who otherwise could do a really good job in politics«, he says.

That could have consequences for democracy itself. Politicians need to be challenged, questioned and held accountable by citizens, but if the debate becomes so hostile that people withdraw, fewer voices may take part. Parliament, municipalities and the regions have therefore joined forces on a new campaign against harassment in politics. The aim is not to protect politicians from criticism, but to draw a line between legitimate political disagreement and the threats and personal attacks that can make people afraid to participate.

Talk of town: Hormone therapy gave Marlies her life back. Now she wants menopause clinics nationwide

What if a woman could spend years seeking help for headaches, exhaustion, memory problems and drastic mood changes – without anyone realizing she was going through menopause?

That is what happened to Marlies Eriksen, who was 48 when she suddenly felt as if her personality had disappeared. She saw doctors, psychologists, a psychiatrist and other specialists, but was told she could not be in menopause because she was still menstruating. Instead, she was given weight-loss medication and later antidepressants, neither of which helped. Four years later, she finally tried hormone therapy after reading about new guidelines. Within days, she says, her aches and heavy mood had lifted and she felt like herself again.

Now 52, Eriksen wants to make sure other women do not have to spend years searching for answers. She has submitted a citizen proposal calling for all women to be automatically offered a menopause consultation in their 40s, with fast access to specialized treatment when needed. The proposal is not about encouraging every woman to take hormones, she says, but about making sure women have the same options and access to qualified advice regardless of where they live, what they can afford or what their doctor believes about menopause.

The proposal comes as menopause is gaining more attention in Denmark and beyond. In Britain, women aged 40 to 74 will from this year be routinely offered a menopause consultation with their GP every five years. In Denmark, researchers at the University of Copenhagen have estimated that menopause costs society around four billion DKK a year in lost earnings. The Alliance for Women’s Health is now considering Eriksen’s proposal in its parliamentary network, adding to a growing political debate about whether women’s health needs a more systematic approach.

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.