The Social Democrats secured their strongest backing in more than two decades in the November elections despite criticism of Frederiksen's tenure for having centralised power around her office and her controversial decision to cull all mink during the pandemic. The poll analysts were predicting a defeat of the incumbent government and the installation of the blue coalition of the right. But the voters gave a narrow majority to the five party centre-left coalition. The social democrats again became the largest group in Parliament with 27.5percentvotes.

The left-leaning bloc got 87 seats in the 179-seat parliament, which would give it a majority with support from a Faroe Island mandate and two yet-to-be-determined seats in Greenland, a sovereign territory of Denmark that often elects left-wing candidates. Thus the centre left bloc will be having 90 seats in the 179 seat parliament. That way the incumbent prime minister is confident of forming the new government.

But still, the prime minister has to sort out with left a very delicate issue before forming the new cabinet. A majority of the left-wing parties is likely to present a dilemma for Frederiksen, who has advocated a broad coalition across the traditional left-right divide, arguing that political unity is needed at a time of international uncertainty. In fact some of the big corporates of Denmark want a sort of joint government with the right to keep the PM out of the purview of the left influence. But the left allies of the PM have ruled out any arrangement with the right since the centre-left coalition has clear majority in parliament.

Frederiksen has led the country through one of the most chaotic terms to befall a Danish government in decades, having to handle a pandemic, soaring inflation, and geopolitical uncertainty. In the last eight months, the PM was under high pressure from the right and the corporates to take austerity measures affecting the Danish labour. Due to the pressure of the left trade unions, the Social Democratic PM could not go the whole hog. The elections were held only a month after the sabotage of two pipelines carrying gas from Russia to Germany through Danish waters fuelled by an unprecedented insecurity among the Danes.

"In Denmark, we have for many years been used to progress. Now we face hardship, and with war in Europe, energy scarcity, inflation and climate challenges, the crises combine," Frederiksen said. She has a tough task ahead as the energy prices are rising, along with the inflationary pressures on the low income people. She will have to take the allies along with her programme for ensuring the stability of her government. (IPA Service)