Denmark’s caretaker prime minister, Social Democrat Mette Frederiksen, returned her mandate to King Frederik X on Friday following the collapse of negotiations to form a center-left government.
The move comes after the mandate was originally granted following the legislative elections held on March 24. Speaking to the media after her meeting with the monarch, Frederiksen acknowledged the difficulty of the task and the complicated parliamentary landscape, though she maintained an optimistic tone and declined to provide specific details regarding the failed negotiations.
Coalition Impasse and the “Royal Explorer”
The current round of talks, which involved six political forces, effectively ended when Lars Løkke Rasmussen, leader of the centrist Moderate Party, announced that further negotiations were pointless. Rasmussen, whose party holds 14 seats and acts as the “electoral referee,” stated that no agreement had been reached after 45 days of discussions.
“We believe that if we have to continue, we must shake the tree,” Rasmussen said. He announced that he would propose Troels Lund Poulsen, leader of the Liberal Party, to serve as the new “royal explorer”—the individual tasked with leading a fresh round of negotiations.
As a result of this impasse, King Frederik X is scheduled to meet separately with the leaders of the twelve parties represented in parliament starting at 19:00 local time (17:00 GMT). These leaders will inform the King of their preferred candidate for the role of royal explorer.
A Fragmented Parliament
The political deadlock stems from a challenging election result. While the Social Democratic Party was the most voted in the elections with 21.9%, this represented their worst result in a century. Other parties also saw historic lows, including the Liberal Party at 10.2%—the worst figures in its history—though it remained the strongest force within the right-wing bloc. The Socialist People’s Party followed with 11.5%.
The current distribution of seats in parliament is as follows:
- Left-wing bloc: 84 seats
- Right-wing bloc: 77 seats
- Moderate Party: 14 seats
The Moderate Party has reiterated its intention to support a center-based executive, similar to the government of the previous legislature which consisted of Social Democrats and Liberals. However, given the current seat distribution, such a coalition may now require the inclusion of additional parties to secure a majority.
Record-Breaking Negotiations
The failure to reach an agreement marks a significant setback for Frederiksen in her bid for a third term. On Wednesday, the process reached a historic milestone as the negotiations hit 43 days, breaking the previous record for the longest government formation process in Denmark, which was set in 2022.
What may happen next: Depending on the consultations with the twelve party leaders, the King may appoint a new royal explorer to test different coalition combinations. A possible outcome could be the attempt to form a center government involving the Liberals and Social Democrats, though this may now require a broader alliance to be viable.
