Morning Briefing – Friday, October 25

The Copenhagen Post’s daily round-up of the front pages and other major Danish news stories

Voters abandoning ‘Luxury Lars’ 
A new poll shows the approval rating for Lars Løkke Rasmussen (V), the opposition leader, taking the steepest nose-dive in the three years DR has reported on the statistic. The voter flight comes in the wake of comments in parliament in which Rasmussen appeared to grossly over-estimate the price of a pair of shoes, as well as revelations that he spent 770,000 kroner on first-class travel while head of GGGI, a tax-payer funded climate organisation. The poll shows 30 percent of Danes support Rasmussen as their choice for prime minister. Over the past year, his approval rating has averaged over 50 percent. The number of voters with a negative opinion of Rasmussen has risen to 53 percent, from 39 percent in the previous poll. – DR Nyheder

SEE RELATED: Right-wing surge confirmed

Autism schools’ profits a concern for city
Two privately run schools specialising in teaching students with autism and similar disorders will be investigated by the city after it was revealed that they have turned multi-million kroner profits each year since 2008. The city pays the schools as much as 50,000 kroner per student each year. The city underscored that turning a profit was not illegal, but it was concerned the schools were doing so at the expense of special-needs children. “It’s completely inappropriate to make money off children that need extra help,” said Tobias Børner Strax, a city official. Most other special-needs schools are operated by non-profit organisations. – Politiken

SEE RELATED: Glad to serve, mad about food

Uranium ban lifted, but battle with Copenhagen remains
By a single-vote margin, Greenland’s ruling coalition yesterday passed a measure to overturn that country’s ban on mining uranium. The move comes despite the opposition of a majority of the population and environmental groups. Ruling party Siumut defended the measure, citing the economic benefits. The self-governing territory must now grapple with Copenhagen, which controls foreign and security policy for the entire kingdom of Denmark, over whether it has the right to decide what happens to the uranium mining companies extract. The Arctic Journal  (read full story   in English)

SEE RELATED: Premier: Greenland's future lies underground

Two oil firms pull out of North Sea
Anger over the government’s decision to change taxation rules has led Bayerngas, a German oil drilling company, to abandon a 337 million kroner investment in the North Sea. EWE, another German company, has also announced it was giving up its licence to explore for oil together with Bayerngas and Wintershall, a third German firm, in an area expected to contain 100 million barrels of oil. EWE said its decision was part of a general plan to reduce its oil drilling activities. The tax minister, Holger Nielsen, said he fully expected two other oil firms to take over the vacancies. – Erhverv & Økonomi

SEE RELATED: Bayerngas threatens to end North Sea oil investments

Editorial Excerpt | Not surprising, just disastrous
Spying isn’t something only the Americans do. Still, revelations that the US may have – and probably did – eavesdrop on Angela Merkel’s mobile phone go over the line. […] It is not a surprise that the US could do it, and it’s not really a surprise that they might actually have done it, but the fact that it was revealed could wind up being nothing short of disastrous for trans-Atlantic relations. – Jyllands-Posten

SEE RELATED: Business lobby walks back US industrial espionage accusations

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  • Young Copenhageners supply study grants by selling cocaine

    Young Copenhageners supply study grants by selling cocaine

    In recent years, the spread of cocaine has accelerated. The drug is easily accessible and not only reserved for wealthy party heads. Copenhagen Police have just arrested ten young people and charged them with reselling cocaine

  • 5 Mistakes I Made When I Moved to Denmark

    5 Mistakes I Made When I Moved to Denmark

    Here are five mistakes I made that helped me understand that belonging isn’t a strategy—it’s a practice. This isn’t a story of struggle—it’s a reflection on growth, told through the lens of emotional intelligence.

  • Analysis shows that many students from Bangladesh are enrolled in Danish universities

    Analysis shows that many students from Bangladesh are enrolled in Danish universities

    Earlier this year, the Danish government changed the law on access for people from third world countries to the Danish labor market. Yet, there may still be a shortcut that goes through universities

  • Danish Flower company accused of labor abuse in Türkiye

    Danish Flower company accused of labor abuse in Türkiye

    Queen Company, a Denmark-origin flower producer with pristine sustainability credentials, is under fire for alleged labor rights violations at its Turkish operation, located in Dikili, İzmir. Workers in the large greenhouse facility have been calling decent work conditions for weeks. The Copenhagen Post gathered testimonies from the workers to better understand the situation

  • Advice for expats: Navigating Life as an International in Denmark

    Advice for expats: Navigating Life as an International in Denmark

    Beginning this month, Expat Counselling will be contributing a monthly article to The Copenhagen Post, offering guidance, tools, and reflections on the emotional and social aspects of international life in Denmark. The first column is about Strategies for emotional resilience

  • New agreement criticized for not attracting enough internationals

    New agreement criticized for not attracting enough internationals

    Several mayors and business leaders across Denmark are not satisfied with the agreement that the government, the trade union movement and employers made last week. More internationals are needed than the agreement provides for

Connect Club is your gateway to a vibrant programme of events and an international community in Denmark.


  • “It’s possible to lead even though you don’t fit the traditional leadership mold”

    “It’s possible to lead even though you don’t fit the traditional leadership mold”

    Describing herself as a “DEI poster child,” being queer, neurodivergent and an international in Denmark didn’t stop Laurence Paquette from climbing the infamous corporate ladder to become Marketing Vice President (VP) at Vestas. Arrived in 2006 from Quebec, Laurence Paquette unpacks the implications of exposing your true self at work, in a country that lets little leeway for individuality

  • Deal reached to bring more foreign workers to Denmark

    Deal reached to bring more foreign workers to Denmark

    Agreement between unions and employers allows more foreign workers in Denmark under lower salary requirements, with new ID card rules and oversight to prevent social dumping and ensure fair conditions.

  • New association helps international nurses and doctors Denmark

    New association helps international nurses and doctors Denmark

    Kadre Darman was founded this year to support foreign-trained healthcare professionals facing challenges with difficult authorisation processes, visa procedures, and language barriers, aiming to help them find jobs and contribute to Denmark’s healthcare system