Hi there,
On Tuesday night I joined hundreds of other international Copenhageners for the Make Your Opinion Count English-language election event in the spectacular old university auditorium on Frue Plads. Hundreds of people from all over the world packed the hall to find our more about how they can take part the municipal and regional elections on November 16.
First off, political scientist Ulrik Kjær explained the nuts and bolts of local politics as well as the basics of voting. He outlined the difference between municipal and regional government. In a nutshell, the municipality (Kommune) is responsible for vast areas of Danish life: transport, childcare, schools, city planning, social services to name a few - so these elections really matter. The regions (Copenhagen is part of the Hovedstaden Region or capital region) are essentially in charge of healthcare.
Next, representatives of 17 parties (a total of 27 are on the Copenhagen municipal ballot!) were given two minutes each to paint a picture of their policies in broad brushstrokes - and make their case to the foreign voters in the room.
In Denmark, residents with EU, Norwegian or Icelandic passports can vote in muncipal and regional elections, as can all other foreigners who have lived in the country for at least 4 years. Around a quarter of Copenhagen residents don't have Danish citizenship, so trying to win over this large pool of voters in the contest for the 55 seats in the borgerrepræsentation or city council seems smart. The Lord Mayor and six Deputy Mayors aren’t elected directly - they're selected by members of the council, who band together to form a rather complicated set of alliances.
The parties at the event ranged from the tiny Communist Party on the far left to the nationalist Dansk Folkeparti on the far right - rather odd in a hall full of immigrants.
Three issues dominated the discussion: climate policy (including whether or not to build Lynetteholm and how to reduce the numbers of cars in city traffic, affordable housing and improving childcare. About a third of the politicians represented fringe green parties promising more radical climate action than the current Social Democrat-led city council - such as the Vegan Party.
Several parties have English information on their homepages. Many of them seem quite similar so best read up for yourself.
These are the parties that currently hold seats on the Copenhagen city council:
Enhedslisten - left-wing party with strong green and social justice focus. Polling ahead of the incumbent Social Democrats. English site.
Socialistisk Folkeparti (SF) - a smaller, more moderate left-leaning green party. English info.
Alternativet - a more radical green party allied with the Pirate Party internationally. English info.
Venstre - though its name translate as “Left” and they call themselves “liberal”, this is actually Denmark’s traditional conservative party. They’re trying to appeal to foreign voters with a plan for a “one-stop shop” for international newcomers. English info.
Meanwhile, the similarly named Radikale Venstre is a socially and economically liberal party. There’s no English info on their site.
Socialdemokratiet - the centre-left Social Democrats have run Copenhagen for decades. They’re the party of prime minister Mette Frederiksen but could now lose control of city hall. Last year Social Democrat mayor Frank Jensen resigned over a #metoo scandal. English info.
Det Konservative Folkeparti - The conservative people’s party wants lower taxes and improved healthcare. English info.
Liberal Alliance - The pro-business libertarians want to drastically lower taxes. No English info on their site.
Dansk Folkeparti - The most right-wing of the larger parties. Even though they're the most prominent anti-immigrant force in Danish politics, they have an English page outlining their policies.
So how do you vote, exactly? A few days before election, eligible voters will receive a notification with all the relevant info about where to cast their ballots. Early voting is also possible. Find comprehensive information on the elections in English here.
Copenhagen’s reach out efforts are without a doubt fantastic. The event made me feel the city actually cared about empowering international residents.
Refugees slated for deportation
Another story this week casts Denmark in a different light when it comes to welcoming immigrants. NGO Refugees Welcome reports that 620 Syrian refugees and reunited family members have lost their residence permits and hence their right to stay in Denmark. Read the full report.
Once slated for deportation, they're sent to depressing “departure centres” like this one in Sjælsmark, north of Copenhagen.
Finally…
If you're interested in Christiania, definitely check out the exhibition marking the 50th anniversary of the founding of Copenhagen's “freetown” at Kunsthal Charlottenborg through November 14. The info.
See you next week,
Maurice