The Brief – What the world got wrong about the Danish elections

This year, Greenland found itself the focus of a transatlantic feud – one that tested European resolve and projected Mette Frederiksen as a composed premier. And after fending off the president of the Free World, she seized the moment to snatch a home victory.

Yet as it turned out, the Danish election had little to do with the geopolitical crosswinds the kingdom has faced in recent months.

The Danish Parliament, residing at Christiansborg Palace (aka. Borgen – namesake to the infamous TV-series on Danish politics) was draped with Danish flags throughout election day. Across the street, two other flags were hoisted outside Copenhagen City Hall, reminders of the external tensions brewing around the small country.

On the eastern flagpole flew the Ukrainian flag – Copenhagen has been one of the biggest contributors to Kyiv’s fight against Russia. On the western pole, the Greenlandic flag fluttered. As if to remind Danes what they were up against, the US ambassador to Denmark…