2026 Danish general election

2026 Danish general election

←  2022 24 March 2026

All 179 seats in the Folketing 175 from Denmark, 2 from Greenland and 2 from the Faroe Islands 90 seats needed for a majority

Party Leader Current seats Parties in Denmark Social Democrats Mette Frederiksen 50 Venstre Troels Lund Poulsen 23 Denmark Democrats Inger Støjberg 16 Green Left Pia Olsen Dyhr 15 Liberal Alliance Alex Vanopslagh 15 Moderates Lars Løkke Rasmussen 12 Conservatives Mona Juul 10 Red–Green Pelle Dragsted [a] 9 DPP Morten Messerschmidt 7 Social Liberals Martin Lidegaard 6 The Alternative Franciska Rosenkilde 6 Citizens' Party Lars Boje Mathiesen 1 Parties in the Faroe Islands Union Bárður á Steig Nielsen 1 Social Democratic Aksel V. Johannesen 1 Parties in Greenland Inuit Ataqatigiit Múte Bourup Egede 1 Naleraq Pele Broberg 1 Incumbent Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen Social Democrats

General elections are scheduled to be held in Denmark on 24 March 2026. ^{[2] [3]} All 179 seats in the Folketing will be up for election, including 175 in Denmark proper, two in Greenland, and two in the Faroe Islands (the two other territories of the Danish Realm). ^[4]

Background

Frederiksen II Cabinet

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen, and Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen

The 2022 Danish general election, held on 31 October in the Faroe Islands and on 1 November in Denmark and Greenland, led to a narrow victory for the red bloc. ^[5] Following the election, a centrist government (Frederiksen II Cabinet) led by Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and consisting of the Social Democrats (A), Venstre (V), and the Moderates (M) was established. ^[6]

Candidates for Prime Minister

Frederiksen was initially the only official Prime Minister of Denmark candidate. The Red–Green Alliance (Ø) stated that if they are to support the Social Democrats, then it must be a red bloc coalition. ^[7] Green Left (F) won the most votes in the 2024 European parliament election in Denmark, and Pia Olsen Dyhr argued that the largest party in the red bloc should hold the Prime Minister post. ^[8] The Red–Green Alliance said they prefer a Green Left Prime Minister over a Social Democratic one, ^[7] although the Green Left stated they do not see themselves getting the position any time soon. ^[9]

As multiple polls saw the Liberal Alliance (I) being the largest in the blue bloc, political analysts predicted Alex Vanopslagh as a possible Prime Minister candidate. ^{[10] [11]} Prime Minister Frederiksen and Danish People's Party (O) leader Morten Messerschmidt commented on their expectation that the former Prime Minister and Moderates leader Lars Løkke Rasmussen could try to regain the position. ^[12]

On 26 February 2026, Venstre leader and defence minister Troels Lund Poulsen announced that he was making himself available to lead a blue bloc government and declared his intention to become Prime Minister. In his announcement, Poulsen emphasized national security, economic responsibility, strengthening core welfare services, tightening immigration policy, improving Denmark’s competitiveness, and maintaining defence capabilities in response to changing geopolitical conditions. He cited his experience across seven ministerial posts over two decades and stated that he would seek broad parliamentary cooperation if given the mandate to form a government. ^[13]

Following his announcement, the Conservative People's Party (C) and the Danish People's Party endorsed Poulsen as the preferred Prime Ministerial candidate of the blue bloc. ^{[14] [15]}

Campaign

Announcement

The election campaign began on 26 February 2026, when Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced that the election had been called. ^[2]

Debates

2026 Danish general election debates
Date	Time	Organizers	Venue	P Present   I Invitee  N Non-invitee  S Surrogate
				A	B	C	F	H	I	M	O	V	Æ	Ø	Å	Refs
26 Feb	20:00	DR and TV 2	DR Byen	P Frederiksen	P Lidegaard	P Juul	P Olsen Dyhr	P Boje Mathiesen	P Vanopslagh	P Løkke	P Messerschmidt	P Lund Poulsen	P Støjberg	P Dragsted	P Rosenkilde	[16]

Opinion polls

Main article: Opinion polling for the 2026 Danish general election

Notes

1. Formally, the Red–Green Alliance have collective leadership. ^[1]

References

1. Hoffmann-Hansen, Henrik; Fabricius, Kitte (10 May 2019). "Overblik: Partierne i Danmark". Kristeligt Dagblad (in Danish). Retrieved 20 May 2019.
2. "Mette Frederiksen udskriver folketingsvalg - TV 2". nyheder.tv2.dk (in Danish). 26 February 2026. Retrieved 26 February 2026.
3. "Mette Frederiksen announces Denmark will hold snap election on March 24". POLITICO. 26 February 2026. Retrieved 27 February 2026.
4. "Elections in Denmark". The Danish Parliament. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
5. "Denmark election: Centre-left bloc comes out on top". BBC News. 2 November 2022. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
6. Bohr, Jakob Kjøgx (15 December 2022). "Her er SVM-regeringens ministre - TV 2". nyheder.tv2.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 15 December 2022.
7. "Enhedslisten kræver rød regering for at pege på Mette Frederiksen". Berlingske (in Danish). 9 December 2025. Retrieved 11 December 2025.
8. "Olsen Dyhr: - Største parti skal have statsministerposten". ekstrabladet.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 28 June 2025.
9. "Tak, men nej tak: SF vil ikke sidde for bordenden efter næste valg". DR (in Danish). 9 December 2025. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
10. "Han tør ikke sige ordet endnu, men Vanopslagh ligner mere og mere en statsministerkandidat". tv2.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 28 June 2025.
11. "Cordsen: Vanopslagh gør klar til at gå efter statsministerposten - men ikke som statsministerkandidat". dr.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 28 June 2025.
12. "Frederiksen og Messerschmidt griner af Løkkes statsministerambitioner". bt.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 28 June 2025.
13. Lund Poulsen, Troels. "Instagram post with Troels announcement". Instagram. Retrieved 27 February 2026.
14. "Morten Messerschmidt peger på Troels Lund Poulsen som statsministerkandidat". bt.dk.
15. "Konservative peger på statsministerkandidat". tv2.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 28 June 2025.
16. "Her er alt du skal vide om folketingsvalget 2026 - TV 2". nyheder.tv2.dk (in Danish). 26 February 2026. Retrieved 26 February 2026.