Weekly political overview
The special law for Ukrainian refugees has been extended until March 2026. Authorities will automatically extend the resident permits granted under the special law. This law allows Ukrainian refugees to stay in Denmark and have more-or-less equal rights with European citizens.
From April 2025, you will be able to get an X-ray or ultrasound done at your local chiropractor. The Regional Councils and the Association of Chiropractors entered into a new agreement that allows general practitioners to refer citizens to the local chiropractor for X-rays and ultrasounds. Also, people with disorders in the musculoskeletal system will be referred to a chiropractor without having to pay for it. Read the agreement here.
Medical cannabis is here to stay. The pilot scheme that allowed patients to request medical cannabis to relieve pain and nausea, which started in 2018, will be made permanent until at least 2026. The scheme is for patients with multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries, cancer, and chronic pain.
Progress in the Parliament. Simultaneous interpretation in Greenlandic and Danish has now been introduced during question time with the Prime Minister. This achievement can be credited to the member of Parliament, Aki-Matilda Høegh-Dam, who held multiple speeches in Greenlandic in Parliament and lobbied for the introduction of Greenlandic interpretation.
Denmark’s proposal for European Union Commissioner has been approved. The former social-democrat minister Dan Jørgensen is the new Energy and Housing Commissioner. He has three major tasks ahead: to achieve independence from Russian gas, to boost the green transition, and to ensure competitiveness on the energy market. Within the first 100 days, he has to present a proposal on how to make the industry in Europe more climate-friendly.
Mette Frederiksen supports the arrest warrant for the Prime Minister of Israel. The International Criminal Court (ICC) announced an arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel. Why? There are allegations that Israel has committed war crimes in the Palestinian territory. They have deliberately prevented civilians in Gaza from accessing food, water, medicine, and other necessities.
Proposals from political parties
- A large majority in Parliament (which includes the government parties) wants to reopen international adoptions from next year. Liberal Alliance (Libertarian Conservatives) says it is too early.
Snapshots from the political stage
- The Ministry of Culture is annoyed by issues with the login requirement on the national television (DR TV) and wants them solved as soon as possible.
Focus
The Medical Association presented several measures against the culture of drinking alcohol in Denmark. The message is clear: “We must drink less alcohol.”
- The minimum age for the sale of all types of alcohol should be raised to 18 years old.
- There should be a minimum price on alcohol in order to raise its price.
- Stronger alcohols in grocery stores should be hidden just like the nicotine products.
- Ban the sales of alcohol between 22:00 and 8:00 in shops.
- Ban the sales of alcohol in gas stations.
- Ban the marketing of alcohol products.
- Ban alcohol at school parties.
- Promote the idea of alcohol-free communities.
Socialdemokratiet (Social Democrats) is open to the ideas, but they first need to internally debate them. However, they already support two of the proposals: raising the minimum age limit and introducing a minimum price on alcohol. Venstre (Liberals), on the other hand, cannot see the proposals from the Medical Association becoming reality soon.
50,000 people have signed for a citizenship initiative that wants a ban on social media for people under 18 years old. Once they reach 50,000 signatures, the citizen initiatives must be debated in Parliament. The new Minister of Digitalization, Caroline Stage, is ready to fight with the social media giants to protect young people. However, the social media ban for those under 18 is impossible at a national level; there needs to be a European decision on it.
- Most political parties find the 18-year-old limit too high and prefer the ban apply only to those under 15 years old.
- 50% of children have a social media profile before the age of 10, and by 13 the percentage rises to 94.
- The problem will be how to enforce a social media ban unless you ban sites across Denmark.
Words from the editor: If you can, keep your children and young’uns far away from social media as long as possible. Don’t stay on social media in their presence, as that will affect their behavior as well. Read more here.
Since 2018, Danish citizens could propose citizen initiatives (unfortunately, if you don’t have citizenship, you cannot initiate or sign) for Parliament to debate and vote on. 1,850 citizen initiatives have been proposed, from which 53 have gathered the 50,000 signatures needed. Of the 53, only seven initiatives have become law. One proposal that became law was the introduction of a six-month paid leave of absence if you lose a child.
