Morning Briefing – Friday, June 7

The Copenhagen Post’s daily digest of what the Danish press is reporting

School reform still gridlocked

The school-reform negotiations are in limbo after the Konservative (K) party walked out the talks yesterday. The goal of the reforms is to assure that students have a longer, more cohesive school day, but it is still unsure when any action will take place. Some say it could be 2016 before any action takes place. About one in every five students currently finishes school without being able to read and write at an acceptable level. – Politiken

Staff to docs: "Back off."

As the conflict between the government and doctors continues to simmer, doctors are facing a lack of support from their own support staff. The three largest unions that represent doctors’ support staff such as secretaries, nurses and lab workers have all urged the doctors to relax their demands. The unions argued that the government has been accommodating during the conflict and the doctors should be more willing to compromise. – Jyllands-Posten

Universities could suffer for accepting more students

Universities in Denmark run the risk of losing funding if they follow the government's mandate of admitting and graduating more students. The government has encouraged universities to accept more students, and universities are paid a fee by the government for every exam they give. The schools expressed concern that the government will reduce the fee because of an influx of students. – Information

Danes don’t want to work with ex-cons

A survey revealed that while Danes believe that ex-cons should be given another chance, they don’t want to work along side them. The survey, from the crime-preventing council, Det Kriminalpræventive Råd, showed that 88 percent of Danes believe that ex-cons should another chance on the labour market, but only 52 percent would accept an applicant who has been convicted of theft. – Kristeligt-Dagblad

Climate minister going electric

Starting in August climate minister Martin Lidegaard (Radikale) will be motoring in an electric car while on the job, according to MetroXpress newspaper. Lidegaard will be driving the Tesla Model S, the 'Rolls Royce' of electric cars, which can accelerate from 0-100 kilometres an hour in 4.4 seconds. Crown prince Frederik has also ordered a Tesla Model S. – MetroXpress

More trains on time…really

The nation's trains have been more punctual, according to national rail infrastructure company, Banedanmark. Figures showed that 93.1 percent of all trains were on time between January and May, 2013, up from 92.2 percent in 2012. Banedanmark said that using several trains per platform and stopping at more strategic places helped improve service. – DR News

Golden boys win big again

Denmark’s under-19 football team followed up their thrashing of Czech Republic by winning by the same 5-0 score against Bulgaria yesterday. A hattrick from Kristian Lindberg and a goal each from Christian Nørgaard and Mads Nielsen sealed the win. The Danes will have to beat Portugal in the final game to progress to the European Championships in Lithuania as the Portuguese have a better goal difference. – Bold.dk




  • Diplomatic tensions between US and Denmark after spying rumors

    Diplomatic tensions between US and Denmark after spying rumors

    A Wall Street Journal article describes that the US will now begin spying in Greenland. This worries the Danish foreign minister, who wants an explanation from the US’s leading diplomat. Greenlandic politicians think that Trump’s actions increase the sense of insecurity

  • Diplomacy meets Westeros: a dinner with the King, Queen – and Jaime Lannister

    Diplomacy meets Westeros: a dinner with the King, Queen – and Jaime Lannister

    What do King Frederik X, Queen Mary, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, and Jaime Lannister have in common? No, this isn’t the start of a very specific Shakespeare-meets-HBO fanfiction — it was just Wednesday night in Denmark

  • Huge boost to halt dropouts from vocational education

    Huge boost to halt dropouts from vocational education

    For many years, most young people in Denmark have preferred upper secondary school (Gymnasium). Approximately 20 percent of a year group chooses a vocational education. Four out of 10 young people drop out of a vocational education. A bunch of millions aims to change that

  • Beloved culture house saved from closure

    Beloved culture house saved from closure

    At the beginning of April, it was reported that Kapelvej 44, a popular community house situated in Nørrebro, was at risk of closing due to a loss of municipality funding

  • Mette Frederiksen: “If you harm the country that is hosting you, you shouldn’t be here at all”

    Mette Frederiksen: “If you harm the country that is hosting you, you shouldn’t be here at all”

    With reforms to tighten the rules for foreigners in Denmark without legal residency, and the approval of a reception package for internationals working in the care sector, internationals have been under the spotlight this week. Mette Frederiksen spoke about both reforms yesterday.

  • Tolerated, but barely: inside Denmark’s departure centers

    Tolerated, but barely: inside Denmark’s departure centers

    Currently, around 170 people live on “tolerated stay” in Denmark, a status for people who cannot be deported but are denied residency and basic rights. As SOS Racisme draws a concerning picture of their living conditions in departure centers, such as Kærshovedgård, they also suggest it might be time for Denmark to reinvent its policies on deportation

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