Social Democrats win school elections, Greenland mayor slams German comedian’s flag stunt, biting cold weather to continue and more news from Denmark this Friday.
Social Democrats win school elections
Mock elections held at schools across Denmark have resulted in a win for the Social Democrats.
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s party received 23 percent of the vote, after results were transmitted on parliament’s website as well as Youtube and Twitch.
Around 70,000 students from 95 of the 98 municipalities in Denmark took part in the mock elections.
The win for the Social Democrats represents an improvement from the previous school elections in 2024, when the libertarian party Liberal Alliance received the largest vote share.
The latest elections attracted some controversy last year when the Speaker of Parliament, Søren Gade, banned the topic ‘Recognition of Palestine as an independent state’ from any debates.
Minister for Employment Kaare Dybvad Bek welcomed the result, writing on X “I’ve heard so many times that young people aren’t interested in the Social Democrats. It’s fantastic to see that we are clearly the largest party when school pupils vote.”
The school elections are held “to strengthen young people’s democratic awareness and their political confidence,” according to the Danish Parliament’s website.
Greenland mayor issues warning after US flag stunt
The mayor of Greenland’s capital on Thursday called on media professionals and content creators to act responsibly after a failed attempt by a German comedian to hoist the US flag.
Bavarian comedian Maxi Schafroth, 41, attempted to run up the Stars and Stripes on a flagpole near the cultural centre in Nuuk, before he was confronted by angry passers-by.
When questioned, he claimed to be a US official before leaving to disapproving looks from locals, according to an AFP journalist at the scene.
He was reported to the police and fined, local media said.
Avaaraq Olsen, mayor of Kommuneqarfik Sermersooq district which includes the capital, was outraged.
“Raising a flag at our capital cultural centre, the flag of a military superpower that for weeks has been implying military force against our country, is not a joke,” she said in a statement.
“It is not funny. It is immensely harmful.”
Olsen said Greenlanders, particularly children, were worried and afraid about the current situation.
“When you amplify those fears for content, clicks or laughs, you are not being bold or creative,” she said.
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Cold winds continue to make freezing temperatures bite
Cold weather will continue this weekend, with today being overcast with some chance of snow.
Moderate winds will meanwhile continue to make the temperatures, which are around freezing, feel significantly colder than they actually are.
“On Sunday, it may feel as if temperatures are between minus 10 and minus 15 degrees,” DMI meteorologist Hans Peter Wandler told news wire Ritzau.
January has been marked by low temperatures this year, with snow in many parts of the country.
The cold winter weather now appears set to continue into early February.
“Monday and Tuesday will also be cold. Conditions are likely to be a little drier, and there may be occasional glimpses of sunshine, but it will remain windy and cold,” Wandler said.
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Danske Bank to offer cheaper mortgages
Denmark’s biggest lender Danske Bank is set to reduce the cost of both mortgages and other loans offered to home buyers this year.
Homebuyers aged between 18 and 38 are set to be given lower rates for variable rate mortgages at the bank, while Realkredit Danmark, which is the underwriter of the major part of mortgages approved by the bank, also said it would reduce fees.