Danes to cast verdict on Social Democrats as new crises loom

The election has become a battle for centrist voters. Former prime minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen is likely to be a king-maker in his new party, Moderates. Neither the ruling left nor the right-wing opposition seem to have a chance to win a majority.

Voting comes at a time when high energy prices, the highest inflation in forty years, eat into household economies. This is just a month after two pipelines carrying natural gas from Russia to Germany via Danish waters were sabotaged. It also fuelled an unprecedented feeling of insecurity among Danes.

According to polls, Frederiksen (44) and her Social Democratic Party will slightly gain ground in order to become again the largest party in parliament.

Frederiksen was Denmark's youngest-ever prime minister in 2019. She is trying to forge a broad coalition that spans the traditional left-right divide. She believes that political unity is necessary during times of uncertainty.

Recent polls indicate that Rasmussen's Moderates, which he founded just four months ago, are now the third largest party in parliament. They trail only the Social Democrats, and his former party the Liberals.

Rasmussen supports the idea of a broad government but refuses to name who he would pick to head a new government.

Rasmussen hasn't officially announced his candidacy for prime minister but polls show that voters prefer him to right-wing candidates Jakob Ellemann Jensen (Liberal Party) and Soren Pape Pouulsen (Conservatives).

MINK AFFAIR

Frederiksen was widely praised for leading Denmark through the COVID pandemic. However, her tenure was marred by the controversial decision to kill the entire country's mink herd in 2020 due to fears they could spread a mutant coronavirus.

It was illegal and led to the expulsion of a minister as well as a parliamentary probe. Although Frederiksen was not subject to any legal consequences, the order did cause a loss of support for her party. It also shortened her tenure.

Frederiksen's opposition lawmakers have also criticized Frederiksen's mink scandal, which aimed to center power around her and her office.

Frederiksen must come up with solutions for the highest levels of inflation in decades. The government has not used its favorite tools in the pandemic, which include massive aid packages and looser fiscal policies to stimulate the economy.

The campaign's key topic is tight spending, which leaves little money to help or improve health care. Climate change and the cost of living are also key issues for voters.

Right-leaning opposition is concerned that the generous economic policies of a left leaning government will inflame inflation and bring about an economic crisis similar with the 1980s and 1990s when the country was run by the Social Democrats.

Voxmeter's latest poll shows a 49%-41% lead over the right-leaning bloc, with Moderates receiving 10% of the votes.

The polling stations will open at 8am (0700 GMT) Tuesday, and close at 8pm on Wednesday (3 November). There will be two exit polls immediately after that.

The results will be presented by the public broadcasters DR, TV2 and a preliminary announcement expected to be made between midnight and 2am on Wednesday morning.

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