Mette Frederiksen: Denmark’s iron lady makes a comeback – and creates toilet paper history

It’s not often a politician ends up on supermarket shelves at Rema 1000, but in Denmark, they’ve managed it. A few weeks ago, on a ferry between Oslo and Copenhagen, I was told a story that says everything about the relationship between Danes and their prime minister. A guy from Aarhus showed me a picture of a toilet paper roll. What was on the packaging? You guessed it, a glimpse of Mette Frederiksen. The joke was that she’s so tough she “wipes clean” in Danish politics. It’s exactly that kind of dry, respectful irony that characterises how they see their iron lady.

Now, she’s back in full force. Mette Frederiksen’s second government is in place, after an election night that reminded me of the old party leader debates I used to follow closely when I was younger. It was nerve-wracking right up to the end, but in the end, there was no doubt: she’s still in power. It’s almost surreal to think that just a couple of years ago, Mette Frederiksen’s first government was operating in a completely different reality. Back then, the pandemic was the big talking point, and she was the one who shut down Denmark in a way we’d never seen before. The mink had to be culled, borders had to be closed – she made decisions that made her both hated and loved, but never ignored.

From the People’s Meeting to new negotiations

What strikes me now is how quickly things can turn in Danish politics. Over the summer, I was sitting at a harbour bath in Copenhagen and heard people discussing whether she was “finished”. There was a lot of noise around the mink scandal, and many thought Mette Frederiksen had lost her popular touch. But the woman from Aalborg who started as a young advocate in the trade union movement didn’t give up. She’s like a boxer who’s taken a standing count but refuses to stay down.

Looking at the formation of the new government, I see a clear change from the first term. Mette Frederiksen’s first government was marked by crisis management and survival. This, Mette Frederiksen’s second government, is about building something more lasting. It’s broader, it’s more anchored in the centre, and it reeks of an attempt to avoid the same mistakes as before. To understand how she’s managed this, you only need to look at what’s happening in the streets and what the internal party sources are whispering:

• The significance of re-election: She’s the first Social Democratic prime minister on the left to secure a new term in a very long time. That says a lot about her personal appeal.
• The alliances: Where the first government stood alone at the start, she has now brought in several parties to create a broader platform.
• Her popular touch: Whether it’s toilet paper with her face on it or debates about welfare, she manages to stay relevant in everyday conversations.

Perhaps that’s exactly what makes her so fascinating. You can’t avoid Mette Frederiksen in Denmark, whether it’s at Christiansborg Palace or down at the supermarket. I remember an episode from last year’s People’s Meeting on Bornholm, where I was queuing for a hot dog. Two older women behind me were discussing her with an intensity as if they were talking about a tricky daughter-in-law or a daughter they were proud of. “She’s got balls,” said one. “Yes, but she’d better watch herself,” replied the other. That’s the kind of ownership Danes have over her. They own her, they criticise her, but they won’t let her fall.

The road ahead for the Danish prime minister

Now that Mette Frederiksen’s second government has set its course, everyone is wondering what the next big battle will be. It seems to me that she’s learned something from the tough years of Mette Frederiksen’s first government. Crisis leadership was her strength, but now she has to show that she can also create growth and unity without things going up in flames. (To use a fitting metaphor, given the toilet paper.)

I suspect we’ll feel this in Norway too. When the wind blows in Danish politics, it always creates waves over here across the border. But right now, an experienced, tough, and exceptionally fit politician is at the helm in Copenhagen. Mette Frederiksen has survived the worst, and I’m guessing there will be more momentum in the cooperation between our countries going forward. After all, she’s now one of the longest-serving leaders in the Nordics, and that kind of weight is felt when prime ministers gather for meetings.

What started as a joke on a toilet paper roll has turned into a serious political comeback. For those of us who follow Nordic politics closely, it’s simply entertaining to watch how she balances being the people’s woman with being a ruthless strategist. Whatever you think of her politics, there’s one thing we have to give her: she never makes Danish politics boring.