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And then there were eight! Only four parties have so far exited Frederiksen’s negotiations to form a majority across the centre 

Ben Hamilton
November 23rd, 2022


This article is more than 2 years old.

Danmarksdemokraterne. Nye Borgelige. Enhedslisten and Alternativet have all left the table, leaving seven in contention to ally up with Socialdemokratiet

All about the middle ground (photo: Hasse Ferrold)

PM Mette Frederiksen has just moments ago informed the nation that a new government won’t be in place for another couple of weeks, at least.

However, she did confirm that it is not a matter of who will be involved in forming a majority, but more about who won’t be.

As things stand, eight parties are still at the negotiating table to be involved: Frederiksen’s own party Socialdemokratiet, along with Moderaterne, Venstre, Konservative, Liberal Alliance, Radikale, SF and Dansk Folkeparti.

The first party to withdraw was Danmarksdemokraterne followed by Nye Borgelige. And then today, Wednesday November 23, Enhedslisten and Alternativet pulled out. 

Looking like five weeks at least
Frederiksen held a short press conference outside the Prime Minister’s Office today. It follows three weeks of negotiations – and means Denmark still doesn’t have a government in place 22 days after the General Election.

In total, she revealed, there have already been 49 meetings between Frederiksen and the heads of the parties – as well as two meetings involving all the parties. 

Should all eight parties remain involved, it will give the majority (once the North Atlantic mandates are factored in) 143 of the 179 seats in Parliament.

“It will be a process in which the parties can either see themselves in a broad government or in a binding collaboration with a broad government,” explained Frederiksen.


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Moreover, 21 percent of those surveyed admitted to medicating their kids with paracetamol, such as Panodil, before sending them to school.

The FOLA parents’ organisation is shocked by the findings.

“I think it is absolutely crazy. It simply cannot be that a child goes to school sick and plays with lots of other children. Then we are faced with the fact that they will infect the whole institution,” said FOLA chair Signe Nielsen.

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At the Børnehuset daycare institution in Silkeborg a meeting was called where parents were implored not to bring their sick children to school.

At Børnehuset there are fears that parents prefer to pack their kids off with a pill without informing teachers.

“We occasionally have children who that they have had a pill for breakfast,” said headteacher Susanne Bødker. “You might think that it is a Panodil more than a vitamin pill, if it is a child who has just been sick, for example.”

Parents sick and tired
Parents, when confronted, often cite pressure at work as a reason for not being able to stay at home with their children.

Many declare that they simply cannot take another day off, as they are afraid of being fired.

Allan Randrup Thomsen, a professor of virology at KU, has heavily criticised the parents’ actions, describing the current situation as a “vicious circle”.

“It promotes the spread of viruses, and it adds momentum to a cycle where parents are pressured by high levels of sick-leave. If they then choose to send the children to daycare while they are still recovering, they keep the epidemic going in daycares, and this in turn puts a greater burden on the parents.”