Earlier this week, voters in Denmark and Slovenia participated in important parliamentary elections. Here, we analyze the implications of these ballots for the European Union.

During a pivotal electoral period for the European Union member countries Slovenia and Denmark, Brussels, My Love? engaged with Petros Fassoulas, secretary general of the European Movement International, to gather insights on these elections and identify their common ground.

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Snap parliamentary elections in Denmark

On Tuesday, Danes took part in snap parliamentary elections initiated by Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in February.

The results proved inconclusive, casting uncertainty over Frederiksen’s political future. The Social Democrats, her party, secured 21.8% of votes—their lowest tally in 120 years.

Nonetheless, Fassoulas advises against a pessimistic interpretation of this outcome, given that forecasts had been bleak after the party lost control of Copenhagen’s mayorship in 2025.

“The fact that she has emerged from this election, potentially without her desired result but still retaining control over her political destiny and possibly her position, represents a significant turnaround that few foresaw just months ago.”

Neither coalition—the left nor the right—achieved a parliamentary majority, placing the moderates, headed by Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, in a kingmaker role.

Parliamentary elections in Slovenia

Slovenian voters cast their ballots last Sunday.

The centre-left Freedom Movement, led by Prime Minister Robert Golob, narrowly defeated the right-wing Slovenian Democratic Party under Janez Janša.

As Fassoulas commented, these blocs embody contrasting worldviews. “One side featured a liberal pro-European leader committed to social reforms with an inclusive stance on various matters,” he remarked. “Conversely, the other represented a populist politician strongly aligned with Donald Trump.”

The European Union is attentively monitoring these elections. Fassoulas noted concerns that, had Janez Janša prevailed, he might have allied with Robert Fico and Viktor Orban, heightening divisions within the EU.

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Additional sources • David Brodheim, sound editor and mixer.