Denmark’s King Frederik on Saturday requested that caretaker Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen make another attempt at forming a government following the breakdown of center-right negotiations headed by Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen.
This development provides Frederiksen, whose Social Democrats continue to hold the position as Denmark’s largest political party even after significant electoral setbacks, with an opportunity to claim a third straight term leading the country.
Earlier this month, Poulsen, who heads the right-wing Liberal Party, had been tasked with investigating potential government arrangements after Frederiksen’s initial coalition discussions fell apart when the centrist Moderate Party withdrew from negotiations.
Frederiksen will likely need to offer compromises to Moderate Party leader Lars Lokke Rasmussen, whose backing is considered crucial following the March election that resulted in parliament being divided between 12 different parties.
The Social Democrats secured 38 seats in Denmark’s 179-member parliament, a decline from their previous 50 seats in 2022, marking their poorest electoral performance since 1903.
These extended negotiations have hindered government operations during a critical period for Denmark, as the country works to address tensions with U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration regarding Greenland.
