More than 4.3 million people were eligible to vote for a new four-year parliamentary term.
Denmark’s unicameral parliament has 179 seats: 175 for MPs representing mainland Denmark and two each for Greenland and the Faroe Islands, which are part of the kingdom and have semi-autonomous status.
Exit polls put the Social Democrats at 21% of the vote. If confirmed, that result still would leave Frederiksen short of a clear majority even with traditional left-wing allies, forcing her to seek support from centrist and right-leaning parties as well as representatives from Greenland and the Faroe Islands to secure a third term in office.
Traditionally Denmark has been governed by either left- or right-leaning blocs, but in 2022 Frederiksen broke with the usual left coalition and struck a deal with the liberal Venstre party and the newly formed Moderates.
The election comes as Denmark faces pressure from the United States to “give up” Greenland, an issue that continues to overshadow other foreign policy matters.
Frederiksen announced the snap vote on Feb. 26, although
fewer than 12 months remained in the parliament’s term; elections were due no
later than Oct. 31. Politico reported that the decision to move the vote was
likely prompted by a sharp rise in support for the Social Democrats following U.S.
President Donald Trump’s remarks about Greenland.