The Prime Minister has called parliamentary elections for March 24. These are the only elections where only Danish citizens can vote (and therefore most internationals cannot).
Around 10% of the population lives here, works here, pays taxes here, raises children here, but has no say in who forms the national government. That sounds disempowering. It is not.
Because here is the truth about politics: it is transactional. Candidates need volunteers. They need people knocking on doors, handing out flyers, and amplifying messages online. And they struggle to find enough help. That gives us leverage.
So here is my appeal. In the coming weeks, candidates will be looking left and right for support. Offer yours.
But condition it on one clear request: Publicly support automatic citizenship at birth for children born and raised here and automatic citizenship after ten years of legal residence.
If one hundred of us make this ask, across parties and across the country, we create a group of future members of the Parliament who are already committed before they are elected.
Why citizenship at birth?
Because children born here who go through school, who sing the same songs and learn the same history, should not grow up wondering whether they belong. No teenager should open a letter at 18 and feel their identity is conditional.
Uncertainty creates anxiety. It creates exclusion. It creates bullying where classmates ask why you are not “really” from here. A society that invests in a child for 18 years should not hesitate to recognize that child as fully part of it.
Why citizenship after 10 years of residence?
Because 10 years is not a short stay. It is a decade of taxes paid, friendships built, companies supported, and children raised. It is a decade of contributing to the welfare state and the economy. Long-term residents already carry the responsibilities of citizenship.
They follow the laws, fund the schools, and finance the healthcare system. Giving them political rights strengthens democracy. It increases integration. It aligns responsibility with representation.
It is remarkable that after 15 years here, I still cannot vote in parliamentary elections. I can help build institutions. I can contribute to the economy. I can participate in local democracy. But not nationally.
That can change. Not by complaining. Not by waiting. But by organizing, by offering support strategically, and by asking for something concrete in return.
We are many. And mountains move when enough people push at the same time.
Let’s push.
Originally published March 1, 2026 in the Last Week in Denmark newsletter, Episode 7 Year 6.
