Party: Venstre (Denmark’s Liberal Party)
Candidate for: Local council: Nordfyns Municipality
Maria’s journey
Maria Martynova earned her degree in Global Economics in Moscow back in 2009. A few years later, life took an unexpected turn. She met her future husband, packed her bags, and moved to Denmark. The country became her new home for new dreams. Today, she is a candidate for the local council, representing Venstre.
Moving to a new country is not easy and takes some time, but Maria did her best. Her new life started; she trained as a chocolatier and started working as both a dessert chef and an artisan chocolatier. In doing so, her passion became her profession.
Today, Maria lives in Søndersø with her husband and their two sons. She runs a small chocolate factory on Nordfyn, a place where she creates her chocolate masterpieces.
“From the very beginning, Danes met me with respect, curiosity, open-mindedness, and trust,” Maria says. “Even now, when being Russian can draw negative attention, I have felt supported and welcomed, perhaps because I have been very clear in my opposition to Putin, his regime, and the terrible war in Ukraine. I am deeply grateful for that.”
Entering politics
Being a politician was not on Maria’s to-do list. She never thought that she would become a politician, in Denmark or anywhere, but life has a way of taking unexpected turns. After living in Odense for 11 years, she moved to Nordfyn, which is located in the Region of Southern Denmark, on the north coast of the island of Fyn.
Even though it was a new place, she was active and social. It was not surprising that she was quickly invited into local networks and felt welcomed and included in the community, an experience that made a big difference.
“I was encouraged to run, and I said yes,” she recalls. “Not because I have a traditional political background, but because I believe we need more people with real-life experience in politics. I ask questions because I want to understand, and I don’t accept ‘This is how we’ve always done it,’ as a good enough answer.”
When Last Week In Denmark asked Maria why she believes it’s important for immigrants to be represented in democracy, her answer was clear.
“Because we are part of society. Many people in Denmark don’t have a Danish background, yet they contribute every day. They work, pay taxes, raise their children here, and take part in building the country’s future. Our voices deserve to be heard, too.”
Maria hopes that more people from non-Danish backgrounds will get involved in democracy by voting, joining public debates, or even running for office. “Democracy becomes stronger when more perspectives are represented.”
She also believes that immigrants bring something valuable to politics: “We come with experiences from other countries. Sometimes we can see things from the outside and ask questions others don’t ask, and that can be a real strength.”
Maria’s campaign
Maria has a clear and direct campaign slogan: “People before bureaucracy, action before paperwork.”
She imagines a Nordfyn where people are met with respect and real solutions, not just systems and rules. Children and young people are a top priority, with safe institutions and strong schools that give them the best start in life.
She has some other dreams if she is elected, such as a community where everyone can feel they belong, even those who weren’t born in Denmark but want to be part of the community and make real contributions.
She also thinks that strengthening local businesses and building closer cooperation between companies, citizens, and the municipality is essential. As she says, “It’s through collaboration that communities grow stronger.”
“These issues matter to me because they’re about real life, about relationships, opportunities, and everyday challenges,” Maria explains. “I believe local politics shouldn’t be about ideology; it should be about making things work.”
Final thoughts
Maria is passionate, hardworking, and has a mission for her community. She trusts herself and the things she can do. She wants to make a difference. She strongly believes that even if you were not born in Denmark and are not Danish, you can still run for political office. For her, creating change and contributing to society matter more than where you come from.
“I want to show that it’s possible to run for office even if you’re not originally from Denmark,” Maria says. “You don’t need perfect language skills or a long political résumé, you just need something you care about and the will to make a difference.”
One of her hopes is that one day, more internationals will get involved and feel that democracy truly belongs to them, too.
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