2026 Danish general election

Frederiksen II Cabinet

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen, and Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen

The 2022 Danish general election, held on 31 October in the Faroe Islands and on 1 November in Denmark and Greenland, led to a narrow victory for the red bloc.^[1] Following the election, a centrist government (Frederiksen II Cabinet), led by Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and consisting of the Social Democrats (A), Venstre (V) and the Moderates (M), was established.^[2]

In the 2025 Danish local elections, the governing parties suffered significant losses, and the Social Democrats lost in Copenhagen after more than 100 years.^[3] The governing coalition was thus unpopular going into 2026; however, the role and threats of US President Donald Trump, his proposed United States acquisition of Greenland, and the Greenland crisis affected the decision to hold a snap election,^[4][5][6] and gave the Social Democrats, and Frederiksen in particular who stood up to Trump,^[7][8] a political boost through the rally 'round the flag effect,^[9][10] as foreign and security issues, in addition to the economy, the cost of living, the environment, and immigration, became significant concerns among voters.^[11]

Candidates for Prime Minister

Frederiksen was initially the only official candidate to become Prime Minister of Denmark. The Red–Green Alliance (Ø) stated that a red bloc coalition had to be proposed if they were to support the Social Democrats.^[12] The Green Left (F) won the most votes in the 2024 European parliament election in Denmark, and Pia Olsen Dyhr argued that the largest party in the red bloc should become prime minister.^[13] In December 2025, the Red–Green Alliance said that it preferred a Green Left prime minister over a Social Democratic one,^[12] although the Green Left did not perceive itself as about to obtain the position.^[14]

As multiple early 2024 polls saw the Liberal Alliance (I) being the largest in the blue bloc, political analysts predicted Alex Vanopslagh as a possible Prime Minister candidate.^[15][16] In November 2024, Prime Minister Frederiksen and Danish People's Party (O) leader Morten Messerschmidt commented on their expectation that the former Prime Minister and Moderates leader Lars Løkke Rasmussen could try to regain the position.^[17] On 9 December 2025, Citizens' Party leader Lars Boje Mathiesen announced his candidacy for Prime Minister as there was then no official conservative candidate for Prime Minister. However, with the party polling near the 2% threshold, it was considered unlikely that Mathiesen could be Prime Minister.^[18]

On 26 February 2026, Venstre leader and defence minister Troels Lund Poulsen officially announced that he was making himself available to lead a blue bloc government and declared his intention to become Prime Minister. In his announcement, Poulsen emphasized national security, economic responsibility, strengthening core welfare services, tightening immigration policy, improving Denmark's competitiveness, and maintaining defence capabilities in response to changing geopolitical conditions. He cited his experience across seven ministerial posts over two decades and stated that he would seek broad parliamentary cooperation if given the mandate to form a government.^[19] Already in 2025, the Conservative People's Party (C) and the Danish People's Party had endorsed Poulsen as the preferred Prime Minister candidate of the blue bloc.^[20][21]

Announcement

The election campaign began on 26 February 2026, when Prime Minister Frederiksen announced that the election had been called.^[26][27]

Political parties

The table's below lists parties represented in the Folketing

Denmark

Faroe Islands

Greenland

Slogans

Debates

Analysis and reactions

Exit polls and early results showed that the Social Democrats remained the most voted party but that Prime Minister Frederiksen lacked a clear majority;^[42] at 21.9%, it was the party's worst result since the 1903 Danish Folketing election.^[43][44] The two other governing parties also suffered losses, with the incumbent government losing its majority; as a result and as is customary, Frederiksen took a caretaker government role and resigned.^[45][46] The Moderates favoured a centrist government with the Social Democrats, while Venstre preferred a government with the blue bloc and opposed participation in another government led by the Social Democrats.^[47] The red bloc won a plurality of seats but failed to secure a majority. Despite failing to obtain a majority, one analysis of the result was that the left-leaning parties showed a positive trend in Europe where "standing up to Trump-style politics" or to Trump himself can be a "winning strategy", with Frederiksen favoured to win a third term.^[48] The Green Left gained five seats, becoming the second-largest party in the Folketing with 20 seats. Party leader Pia Olsen Dyhr said of the party's "historic" success that the Danish people had provided it with a mandate and she was "ready to negotiate"; however, she made it clear that if welfare and the green transition were not prioritised, the party would remain in opposition.^[49] The Danish People's Party tripled its share of the vote.^[50]

Coalition talks

Election results concluded with neither the red or blue bloc getting a majority and the Moderates (the junior partner of the incumbent government) becoming a potential kingmaker.^[51] Conversations to start coalition talks opened on 25 March 2026. Venstre have ruled out a continuation of a government with the Social Democrats, while the Moderates favoured a continuation of a centrist government with the Social Democrats.^[52] A formateur would first need to be appointed by King Frederik X, following consultations with all parties, to lead negotiations and determine which parties can form a coalition. Frederiksen stated that if she is tasked, she would look to form a coalition with left-leaning parties, possibly with the Green Left and the centrist Social Liberals, that could potentially be supported by the Moderates and possibly also the Conservatives, who expressed willingness and have not ruled out negotiations to support Frederiksen, which would bring the coalition to a majority.^[53][54]

First round

With both red bloc and blue bloc short of a majority, the Moderates emerged as potential kingmakers.^[58] On 25 March, following the announcement of the election results, the parties submitted their recommendations for who should be the formateur.^[59][60] Frederiksen was announced as formateur later that day.^[61][62]

On 25 March 2026, King Frederik X requested Prime Minister Frederiksen, after being appointed as formateur, to lead negotiations with the Green Left and the Social Liberals to try to form a coalition. Frederiksen said she favoured a coalition with the five red-bloc parties and called it the "most realistic option", which would consist of the Social Democrats, Green Left, Red–Green Alliance, Social Liberals, and Alternative, with the Moderates joining in as well. While this is mathematically possible, the Moderates leader Rasmussen is not in favour of backing a red-bloc or a blue-bloc government and prefers a compromise on parties from both blocs; it remained unclear if he would accept negotiations to back solely a red-bloc government or a blue-bloc government. Throughout the election period, Rasmussen had ruled out forming a government that includes the Red–Green Alliance or one that includes the Danish People's Party.^[63][64]

On 31 March 2026, the MP-elect from the Faroese Social Democratic Party, Sjúrður Skaale endorsed Frederiksen for the Prime Minister post.^[65] It was also reported that Greenland's two elected MPs, Naaja Nathanielsen from Inuit Ataqatigiit and Qarsoq Høegh-Dam from Naleraq are also participating in coalition talks with Frederiksen and are seeking more Greenlandic autonomy on foreign policy, following U.S. President Donald Trump's repeated threats to annex the territory.^[66]

On 10 April 2026, it was reported that Rasmussen had put a block on future coalition negotiations involving a centre-left government, which would have been dependent on the Red-Green Alliance, putting a "pause" on such government formation, after yielding little success. The reasoning behind this was reportedly disagreements on economic policy and he described a government involving the Red-Green Alliance as "irresponsible and therefore impossible". Rasmussen declared he preferred a coalition involving two red parties (Social Democrats and Social Liberals), two blue parties (Venstre and Conservatives), and his own Moderates in the next government, that would be formed "around the centre", which mathematically would give them a majority.

Rasmussen said he was willing to still negotiate with Frederiksen as formateur, but on the condition that she invite Venstre for talks, who had previously ruled out working with her, but later appeared to have softened their stance on forming a government with Frederiksen, based on the Venstre's deputy chairman, Stephanie Lose's recent interview, where she appeared a "little more open for talks", as well as the Conservatives, who said they were willing to negotiate with Frederiksen. However, it was reported that talks on forming a centre-left government backed by the Red-Green Alliance can proceed and may be revisited in the future, if talks with the blue-parties fail, indicating that Rasmussen will be testing to see, if Venstre are willing to compromise, similar to the pressure, that he applied on the Social Democrats. Rasmussen stated that after he gave his ultimatum on future talks, he was given the impression that Frederiksen was reaching out to Venstre and Conservatives to invite them for talks.

Following Rasmussen's announcement, the leader of Venstre, Troels Lund Poulsen called on Rasmussen to form a centre-right government without the Social Democrats and with the blue-bloc parties instead, where economic issues can align, which was followed by Conservative leader Mona Juul stating she was seeking for Rasmussen to give "the blues' a chance" on forming a coalition. However, Rasmussen indicated he does not intend to go that route and instead interpreted Poulsen's statements as a sign of willingness to negotiate, in broader context.

After Rasmussen's announcement, Frederiksen met with red-bloc parties for negotiations and there was a clear split stance on how the government should be formed. While it was not their first preference, the Social Democrats and the Social Liberals left the door open and expressed willingness to negotiate such government formation, while the leaders of the Green-Left, Red-Green Alliance, and Alternative remained optimistic and positive that a centre-left government with the Moderates can be formed, but said they would not join any government involving Venstre and Conservatives. Later that day, Venstre confirmed they would attend the talks, as well as the Conservatives.^[67][68][69]

Second round

On 8 May, Rasmussen put forward Troels Lund Poulsen as the new formateur, stating that "We need to have a change of direction, if there needs to be progress made." He however did not exclude the possibility of supporting Frederiksen as prime minister, and after his decision, many blue bloc parties once again endorsed Poulsen as formateur, while the Danish People's Party reaffirmed that they would not support any government with Rasmussen's party, the Moderates in it. The negotiating left wing parties stated their disappointment in Rasmussen's choice to look at Poulsen as formateur, yet expressed willingness to negotiate again if Rasmussen went back to the left wing parties. Frederiksen, with no possible government left to form without the Moderates, met with the king at Amalienborg and a new King's Round was initiated, where each party would again submit who they think should be formateur.

Later during the evening, Poulsen was confirmed to be the next formateur, effectively restarting government negotiations. Poulsen confirmed that government negotiations would resume on 11 May, and would invite all parties while also acknowledging that it seems like a difficult task, but excited to negotiate.^[70]