Denmark Election 2025: Social Democrats Suffer Historic Losses Amid Migration and Cost-of-Living Tensions

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen's Social Democrats faced their worst electoral performance in more than a century following Tuesday's national vote, with the party projected to win only 38 parliamentary seats — a sharp drop from the 50 seats secured in the previous election. Despite widespread admiration for Frederiksen's firm stance against U.S. President Donald Trump's territorial ambitions over Greenland, domestic concerns proved far more decisive for Danish voters.

The 48-year-old prime minister, who has governed since 2019, entered the campaign emphasizing her foreign policy credentials and crisis management experience. However, rising living costs and a polarizing immigration policy ultimately overshadowed her international reputation. Voter frustration mounted on both ends of the political spectrum — left-leaning citizens viewed her migration policies as excessively harsh, while conservative voters questioned her reliability on economic matters.

Despite the setback, Frederiksen's left-wing coalition bloc was still projected to secure 84 seats in the 179-seat Folketing, compared to 77 for right-leaning parties, leaving coalition negotiations possible but complicated. "I'm ready to take on the responsibility," she told supporters. "It will be difficult."

One of the night's most notable developments was the dramatic resurgence of the anti-immigration Danish People's Party, which tripled its support to 9.1 percent. Party leader Morten Messerschmidt campaigned on zero net Muslim migration and abolishing petrol taxes to ease financial pressures on households.

The centrist Moderates party, led by former Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, emerged as a potential kingmaker in coalition talks, though he called on Frederiksen to abandon her proposed wealth tax. Meanwhile, Liberal Party leader Troels Lund Poulsen declared he had no interest in governing alongside Frederiksen, further complicating her path to a third term.

The election outcome was also closely monitored in Greenland, where leaders hope the political shift in Copenhagen may open new opportunities for greater autonomy.