Denmark's new left-leaning government has pledged to resist US pressure over Greenland and address the cost of living crisis with measures including halving VAT on food and offering free public transport to young people. Mette Frederiksen, who returns for a third term as prime minister at the head of a four-party minority coalition, announced the agreement on Tuesday.
“We present a government that will help improve the everyday lives of Danes,” Frederiksen said. The coalition, comprising her Social Democrats, the Social Liberals, the Green Left and the centrist Moderates, holds only 82 of 179 seats and will rely on the left-wing Red-Green Alliance for a parliamentary majority.
The government's immediate priorities include diplomatic talks with the US and Nato over Greenland, a Danish autonomous territory that Donald Trump has insisted Washington needs to control. “The government will stand firm on the kingdom’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and right to self-determination,” the programme stated. Denmark’s military will be further expanded amid concerns about US commitment to European security.
To secure support from left-leaning parties, Frederiksen has pledged free dental care within ten years, free public transport for under-22s, halving VAT on food and removing it on fruit and vegetables, and an extra DKr1,000 (£115) a month for less well-off pensioners. However, the programme does not include a wealth tax, which was criticised by business leaders.
Frederiksen also stood firm on Denmark's hardline immigration policy, pledging to deport more foreign criminals and continue working on establishing reception centres outside the EU for asylum seekers. Other measures include a ban on extreme pig breeding practices and a comprehensive restructuring of the sector.
