New laws
Starting in May 2025, municipalities will no longer be permitted to use psychological tests when evaluating Greenlandic parents in child placement cases. Although the Ministry of Social Affairs instructed municipalities in November 2024 to discontinue the use of these tests, some chose to persist. With the new legislation soon in effect, these tests will be officially prohibited.
- Why are these psychological tests considered problematic? First, they are administered in Danish, which may not be the parents’ primary language. In addition, they rely on facial expression analyses and figures originally created for Western culture – a methodology that has been criticized for neglecting Greenlandic cultural considerations.
- A specialized unit with expertise in Greenlandic language and culture will be established to assist municipalities in such cases. This unit will also review current child placements where these tests were used and may recommend reopening cases if assessments are deemed unfair. 460 Greenlandic children are currently forcibly placed with other families.
If you’re over 60, you have the right to opt out of resuscitation attempts in case of cardiac arrest. To do so, you can register your decision on sundhed.dk or submit a paper form to the Danish Health Data Agency. You can also change your mind and withdraw your opt-out at any time. This right has been advocated by key stakeholders, including the Danish Elderly Affairs Association (Ældre Sagen), the Danish Medical Association, and the Danish Ethics Council.
Goodbye, wasted energy! Denmark just axed the price cap on surplus heat, making it easier for local district heating companies to tap into the heat humming away in data centers, factories, and other industrial facilities. This long-awaited move means less energy “going to the sparrows” and more warming Danish homes.
Law proposals
Denmark’s nuclear nerves are fading fast! According to a Megafon survey, 55% of people in Denmark now support lifting the 1985 ban on nuclear energy—a big jump from 46% in 2022. It seems the atom isn’t as scary as it used to be. But don’t expect any reactor construction here anytime soon; the government remains firmly pro-wind, calling it Denmark’s true energy future. Meanwhile, over in the EU, nuclear power already accounts for a solid 26% of energy production. Guess we’ll stick to turbines while others embrace the glow.
Elon Musk stirring Danish politics? Not so fast. After Musk’s dabbling in European politics, Danish politicians across the spectrum are uniting to keep foreign influence out of elections. Moderaterne (Social Liberals), Socialdemokratiet (Social Democrats), and Venstre (Liberals) want stricter laws to ban foreign donations, citing the need to protect democracy. While the Liberal Alliance (Libertarian Conservatives) prefers transparency over regulation, the consensus is clear: Denmark’s elections won’t be swayed by billionaire wallets.
Political scene
The first reign year for King Frederik. The Danish royal family has had a busy year. First, Margrethe’s abdication document accidentally leaked online. Then Egypt’s President al-Sisi received Denmark’s highest honor, the Order of the Elephant, during a surprise state visit. King Frederik also found himself in the spotlight as Greenland dominated public debate; coinciding with Trump’s renewed talk of “buying” the territory, King Frederik revised the royal coat of arms, giving Greenland more prominence and sparking international speculation.
Greenlandic MPs to Denmark: do better. The government’s action plan against racism is facing heat from Greenlandic MPs Aaja Chemnitz (IA) and Aki-Matilda Høegh-Dam (Siumut), who say it falls short of addressing daily discrimination faced by Greenlanders in Denmark. The draft includes a discrimination fund, a state unit for equal treatment, and dialogue with educational institutions. Immigration Minister Kaare Dybvad Bek admits there’s room for improvement and promises to incorporate their suggestions.
Trump and Musk vibes hit Denmark. Morten Messerschmidt (DF – Nationalist Conservative) made a pilgrimage to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago, only to find the man himself was out. Meanwhile, Lars Boje Mathiesen, Denmark’s own far-right social media provocateur, took to X to openly ask Elon Musk for financial support, brushing off concerns about foreign political interference. Recently approved by the Ministry of the Interior, Mathiesen’s new Citizens’ Party (Borgernes Parti) is on the ballot, with plans to “shake up” Christiansborg. With 700 members and ambitions to disrupt Danish politics, Mathiesen is borrowing a page straight from the Trump-Musk playbook.
