New laws
🧠 A major mental health upgrade. After years of underfunding, Denmark is finally giving its psychiatric system a serious boost. A broad political deal will add 4.6 billion DKK annually to improve mental health care, especially for young people. New rights will guarantee that 18–24 year-olds with anxiety or depression can get private treatment paid by the state if a public system provider isn’t offered within 30 days. Children and youth will also get access to therapy earlier in the process, with stricter deadlines for diagnosis and treatment.
The plan includes efforts to reduce the use of force, improve care for patients with ADHD and autism (though proposed special clinics are still uncertain), and prevent repeated hospitalizations. Patients may soon have the option between restraints or locked rooms, and in some cases, even calming medication. More mobile teams and transitional services are on the way to ensure no one is “discharged to nothing.”
📈 Retirement age raised to 70 by 2040. A broad political deal means people born after 1970 will now have to work until they’re 70 to receive a state pension. The change, based on rising life expectancy, has sparked backlash, especially from those in physically demanding jobs like construction. While some office workers say they can manage, many fear their bodies won’t hold up and worry that promises of early retirement for the worn-down won’t apply when they need them.
🛡️ The government will invest over 7.5 billion DKK in a major justice reform with tougher penalties for violent crime and over 2,000 new prison spaces. Sentences for serious assault will be doubled, and a new focus on rehabilitation aims to cut reoffending. Young, first-time offenders can earn debt relief if they stay crime-free for five years. The goal is to boost safety and restore public trust in the justice system.
🌞 The new Cancer Plan 5 includes 36 initiatives, such as banning tanning beds for under-18s and launching a trial with cooling caps to reduce hair loss during breast cancer treatment. The plan aims to boost survival, prevent cancer early, and support patients better. Starting in 2025, 600 million DKK will be allocated annually.
Law proposals
🐾 Harsher penalties are coming for those who mistreat animals. The food minister wants to double sentences for serious abuse cases, raise fines, and make it easier to take away the right to own animals. He’s also looking into stricter punishment for pet theft, calling it a deeply personal crime for many. A new “penalty point” system is being considered for repeat offenders. These proposals will soon be discussed with the political partners behind them.
🚫 The government wants to ban ads for soda, chips, and fast food aimed at children under 15. Despite industry promises, kids are still exposed daily, especially through influencers. The new rules will change the marketing law and apply to all platforms. The goal is to protect children’s health and prevent obesity-related diseases.
Political scene
🚫 US embassy tried to trade a DEI ban for a parking permit. The US embassy in Copenhagen demanded the city to drop diversity and inclusion policies before it would pay to renew its parking licenses. City officials called the request “absurd” and refused. The embassy later backed down, but experts say it’s part of a wider US push against DEI abroad.
🇪🇺 EU debates sanctions as pressure mounts on Israel. As Israel’s actions in Gaza escalate, momentum is building in the EU to move beyond words and consider concrete sanctions. Options include suspending the EU-Israel association agreement, which grants major trade benefits in return for upholding human rights. Other possible measures include sanctioning Israeli officials, following the model used against Russia, or the recognition of the Palestinian state by individual countries. Both would be politically explosive. Politically, EU nations can still exert pressure independently, as France does by advocating for a two-state solution. But major economic actions would require full EU consensus.
🤝 Frederiksen & Meloni team up to reshape EU migration rules. Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen is forming an unlikely alliance with Italy’s far-right leader Giorgia Meloni to push for tougher EU migration policies. Together with seven other countries, they’ve sent a letter calling for international human rights conventions to be interpreted differently, arguing that they too often protect criminals over victims. The pair also want stricter border control and faster deportations, and they welcome Germany’s recent political shift in the same direction.
