Mette Frederiksen New Year’s address on 1 January 2026 mixed personal self-criticism with a set of concrete policy promises, as Denmark heads towards a parliamentary election later this year. The prime minister framed the past years as a succession of crises—Covid-19, war in Europe, and a renewed dispute over Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark—and argued that her government must now show more “listening” on everyday pressures.
A possible last speech before Denmark’s election
Frederiksen opened with an unusually direct political message: with a general election expected in 2026, the speech “may turn out to be my last” as prime minister. She used that premise to explain a change in her public style and to acknowledge voters’ frustration.
In one of the most personal passages, she said crises had changed her: “They have made me harder. Not inside, but in the debates”. She added that some criticism of her was justified, and that she had not always listened properly—especially on food prices, inequality, and children who are not thriving.
Children’s wellbeing and a warning about “tech giants”
A central theme was the pressure on families facing anxiety, school refusal and social isolation among children and teenagers. Frederiksen said Denmark was already reforming the Folkeskole, strengthening psychiatry and expanding access to leisure jobs for young people, but argued that responsibility also lies beyond the welfare system.
She singled out big tech platforms as a driver of harm: “There are some who are stealing childhood from our children. The tech giants,” she said, calling for tougher regulation. She also framed the issue as a European one, arguing that social media owners should “pay back” by investing in children’s and young people’s wellbeing across Europe.
Food prices, a new “food cheque”, and a VAT debate
Frederiksen returned repeatedly to the cost of living, saying the government had not done enough to address rising grocery bills. Her first concrete pledge was a targeted food cheque (fødevarecheck) for groups hit hardest by high prices—named as pensioners with limited savings, unemployed people and lower-income families with children.
She presented the cheque as immediate relief, while acknowledging it would not reduce prices on its own. For a broader response, she said the government’s upcoming economic plan would set aside money to lower VAT—either making food generally cheaper or removing VAT entirely on fruit and vegetables. She said negotiations with parliamentary parties would begin in the new year.
Inequality, welfare promises, and a sharper tone on deportations
Frederiksen linked the “something is wrong” feeling in parts of Danish society to widening inequality, contrasting housing wealth in Copenhagen with difficulty affording basic groceries elsewhere. She argued Denmark is “too small for big differences” and highlighted initiatives such as earlier retirement for people with long working lives, pay increases in welfare professions and changes aimed at improving access to doctors and patient rights.
The speech then shifted to a markedly tougher register on crime and migration. Frederiksen announced an upcoming deportation reform intended to remove more foreign nationals convicted of serious offences. While addressing “those who have embraced Denmark” and are needed in society, she said people who come to Denmark and commit serious crime “should not be here”.
Her government’s proposal, as described in the address, would make deportation the default for foreign nationals sentenced to at least one year in prison for serious crimes—“regardless of their ties to Denmark”. She said Denmark would push policy “to the edge of the conventions” and claimed new room for manoeuvre after Denmark—together with Italy—secured support from 27 countries for a new interpretation of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Ukraine, defence spending, and an Arctic message to a “closest ally”
Although Frederiksen said the speech was not primarily about foreign policy, she reaffirmed that Denmark is continuing rapid rearmament and support for Ukraine, warning that if one country falls, Russia could push further into Europe.
She also emphasised Arctic security, describing the Kingdom as large in geography but small in population. In a section clearly tied to recent tensions around Greenland, she said Denmark had had to listen to “threats” and “pressure” from its “closest ally” over the past year, including talk of taking over “another country, another people—like something you could buy and own”. She said such rhetoric “belongs nowhere” and promised Denmark would stand firm on what is right and wrong.
A closing appeal for trust—and how Danish commentators read the reset
Frederiksen ended on a cautious optimism, suggesting hope can be found in Denmark’s everyday habits: care for each other, trust, and a shared civic culture. “Maybe we should believe a little more in ourselves,” she said, invoking a Denmark “where few have too much and fewer have too little”.
In Danish media coverage, political analysts and commentators largely interpreted the address as an attempt to recalibrate ahead of the election. TV 2’s political analyst Ask Rostrup wrote that the key move was the admission of mistakes and a bid for humility, while the policy announcements would generate headlines but the real “springboard” for the campaign was the effort to show a new, more listening Frederiksen. Another TV 2 commentator, Søs Marie Serup, said the prime minister faced a difficult task but managed it by focusing on “what is close” to voters, alongside concrete proposals.
Opposition reactions were more mixed. In TV 2’s live coverage, Red-Green Alliance (Enhedslisten) politician Pelle Dragsted noted that the speech contained “redder” social messages, but argued it clashed with a government he says has increased inequality—an early sign that 2026’s campaign lines are already taking shape.
