Denmark's Prime Minister outlines new safety, green and equity agenda in opening address

Mette Frederiksen began the parliamentary session by linking ordinary Danish life and the looming Russian threat, while also mentioning her father, who attended despite his cancer treatment, and offering a spaghetti bolognese recipe. She introduced a comprehensive policy package called "A safer, greener, and more equitable Denmark," featuring plans to construct a prison at the Kærshovedgård return centre and to create the first non-EU return centre by the end of 2027.

The agenda also seeks to raise animal welfare standards for pigs, restore the Great Prayer Day holiday by 2030, and roll out a delayed early pension scheme for manual workers. Immigration reforms include re-filing a stalled citizenship bill, imposing application fees for EU-posted workers, and aligning work-duty requirements for displaced Ukrainians with those for other foreigners. The speech concluded with a patriotic three-cheer salute to Denmark.