• #761
Denmark’s Mette Frederiksen calls March election amid ‘Greenland bounce’ in polls

Mette Frederiksen announces general election on 24 March proposing wealth tax to fund schools, promising to secure the future of the commonwealth and pledging to hold Europe together.


It will be a crucial election, she says, adding that Denmark and Europe must stand in their own right and that Denmark’s commonwealth must be secured.

Her decision to call the election now comes as the prime minister is said to be enjoying a “Greenland bounce” in the polls – after poor performance in local elections in which her party lost control of Copenhagen for the first time in decades – in response to her handling of the US crisis after Donald Trump’s repeated threats to invade Greenland.

... This surge follows her administration’s defiant stance against Donald Trump’s push to control Greenland.

By successfully rallying European allies behind Copenhagen and Nuuk – even despite threats of retaliatory tariffs from the US – Frederiksen appears to have solidified her domestic standing.

With an election deadline looming later this year, calling a vote now could allow her to capitalise on this momentum – particularly if, as Miranda said (12:58), Frederiksen wants the issue of European and Danish unity to play a big part in her campaign.

A YouGov poll found a big jump in her personal approval ratings in January, gaining 10pp compared to December, which the company said had to do with “a rally-around-the-flag effect, given the recent Greenland crisis.”

Still, her net result remained marginally negative, meaning more people had a negative view of her.

There will be a number of tricky issues that are likely to heavily future in the campaign, too – and Frederiksen had faced some criticism over her domestic record in recent months.

Denmark’s Berlingske newspaper said it expected lots of attention to be given to the issues of inequality and wealth – as already indicated by Frederiksen’s words on wealth tax – but also retirement, immigration, housing policy, and regulatory red tape.

Finally, there is the issue of Greenland.

Could Donald Trump possibly dare to seek to intervene in the (very short) campaign?

 
  • #762
@shashj


Remarkable story from Denmark's nat'l broadcaster. "When Danish soldiers were flown to Greenland in January...they brought explosives so they could destroy, among other things, the runways in Nuuk & Kangerlussuaq [to] prevent US mil aircraft from landing"

"The cargo also included blood from Danish blood banks, so that the wounded could receive treatment if it had come to battle" a/c to 'sources in the Danish gov't, top officers, as well as high-ranking officials & intel sources in Denmark, France & Germany"

"The goal of having soldiers on land in Greenland – with as many different flags on their shoulders as possible – was, according to six of the sources, so that the Americans would be forced to take a major hostile action...to occupy Greenland militarily."

France—"Would you like more soldiers? You could have them. Would you like more naval support? You could have that. Would you like more air support? You could have that too. A number of other allies also offered their support early on – including Germany."



 
  • #763
@sds71 Very interesting. Thanks for sharing.
 
  • #764
Many Aussies have a fondness for Queen Mary - because she is an Aussie - born and raised in our state of Tasmania. The King of Denmark married a true commoner. When they met at a Sydney pub back in 2000, he introduced himself to her as Fred. She didn't know who he was for a while.

imo

ABC News Australia

Queen Mary of Denmark's father dies in Tasmania aged 84​


Queen Mary of Denmark has paid tribute to her "beloved father" after he died in Hobart aged 84.

Professor John Dalgleish Donaldson was a professor of applied mathematics and was born in Scotland on September 5, 1941, according to a statement from the Royal House of Denmark.

His health had been declining in recent years, with the Australian-born Queen Mary last visiting him in March during a royal tour of the country with her husband King Frederik.
 

Guardians Monthly Goal

Members online

Online statistics

Members online
129
Guests online
3,887
Total visitors
4,016

Forum statistics

Threads
646,624
Messages
18,863,217
Members
246,082
Latest member
SheenaH
Top