Predictions: Social Democrats ahead in Denmark elections – without majority BAG reports: 23,867 new corona cases ++ In hospital: 369 ++ 18 new deaths

According to the first predictions, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s Social Democrats will once again be the strongest party in the parliamentary elections in Denmark. However, post-election polls by broadcasters DR and TV2 on Tuesday evening revealed a complicated majority race – it is therefore unclear whether Frederiksen can continue to rule. A strong result is forecast for the new party of former Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, while his liberal-conservative ex-party Venstre is suffering clear losses.

Løkke’s new centre-liberal party, The Moderates, has positioned itself midway between the two traditional political blocs. It is unclear whether the centre-left bloc around Frederiksens Social Democrats will win a majority without Løkke, despite being ahead of the centre-right bloc around Venstre leader Jakob Ellemann-Jensen. If the forecast figures are confirmed during election night, Denmark is likely to face lengthy negotiations on future cooperation between governments.

90 of the 179 seats are needed for a majority in the Danish parliament in Copenhagen. In the DR’s forecast, the left-wing red camp initially had 85 seats, the blue bloc led by Venstre 73. Løkke’s moderates had predicted 17 seats, which would determine a majority in the case. Two parliamentary seats are each reserved for representatives of the Faroe Islands and Greenland, which are officially part of the Kingdom of Denmark.

Frederiksen has been leading Denmark since 2019 with a social democratic minority government, which relies mainly on parliamentary support for left-wing parties, for example in the strict immigration policy, but also on votes from the right. This time, the 44-year-old head of government is aiming for a broad, cross-block government with parties on both sides. That also applies if her left-wing camp regains a majority, she said on Monday evening in the last TV debate of the party leaders. However, observers expect that they can also fall back on this camp if there is a red majority. (sda/dpa)