Denmark's left-wing Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has sparked debate within European progressive circles with her recent pronouncements on the challenges of integrating migrant populations and the perceived threats to European values.
Frederiksen, a Social Democrat, has openly criticized Spain's immigration policies and spoken of a growing internal threat within Europe, distinct from external adversaries like Russia. Her remarks, made during a special session in the Danish Parliament, came in the context of recent migration events in Spain's exclave of Ceuta. Responding to a legislator's question about a lack of solidarity with Spain against "anti-democratic forces," Frederiksen stated, "The problem is that a big enemy has started to grow from within, and it is foreigners who have come to Europe."
She further elaborated that this internal threat includes individuals with affiliations to groups like Hamas, those who commit acts of terror against European societies, and those who do not recognize fundamental European values. Frederiksen asserted that Europe is threatened both externally and internally, attributing the internal threat to "people with an Islamic background who do not want the open, free European society."
These statements from a prominent center-left leader have been noted as a significant shift in the European immigration discourse. Daniel Schatz, a Sweden-based foreign policy expert, commented that it is striking for a prime minister of Frederiksen's political leaning to express such views so directly, indicating a broader change in the immigration debate across the continent.
Frederiksen's political platform in 2019, which brought her to power, included not only climate initiatives but also stricter migration policies. Denmark had already implemented robust asylum laws, including a 2018 law targeting "parallel societies" by allowing the government to address social housing areas with a high concentration of residents from a "non-Western" background.
In 2021, Denmark introduced a deportation law that permits the return of refugees to their country of origin if Denmark deems it safe, even without diplomatic relations. This move occurred despite the European Commission finding Denmark's legislation on processing asylum seekers in third countries "incompatible with EU law."
Frederiksen has voiced significant disagreements with the immigration policies of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, stating, "It is no secret that I and the Spanish Prime Minister deeply disagree on immigration policy… I and we will not accept that Danish society has to pay the price for decisions in Spain that we fundamentally disagree with."
Her stance has found common ground with conservative leaders. On August 1, Frederiksen joined Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and 20 other EU government leaders in signing a letter expressing concern about "mass crossings" and the "instrumentalization of migration." Later, on August 10, Frederiksen and Meloni, the EU's only two female heads of government at the time, issued a joint statement emphasizing their pride in Europe's "Christian cultural heritage" and the need to protect it. They stated that those coming to Europe should respect its values and not attempt to impose lifestyles that are not shared, believing this approach is crucial for safeguarding Europe and its common values.
Emma Schubart of the Henry Jackson Society supported Frederiksen's position, stating that Europe has long underestimated the consequences of uncontrolled migration and failed integration. She noted the rise of parallel societies, the persistence of Islamist extremism, and the growing support for groups like Hamas as evidence of these consequences.
Scholars suggest that Frederiksen's approach is an attempt to protect Denmark's social welfare system while controlling borders and preventing the populist right from monopolizing the immigration debate. Her shift in policy is seen not as a reaction to a sudden change in public opinion, but as a realization that a significant portion of the Danish electorate already held such concerns.
Frederiksen's perspective highlights the argument that a democratic society must confront instances of failed integration rather than assuming immigrants are inherently problematic. Experts advocate for other leaders to exhibit similar resolve in securing borders, deporting those without legal status, and enforcing integration into national laws and values.