Denmark's Frederiksen Launches Coalition Talks Post-Election

COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and her Social Democrats launched negotiations on Friday to form a new coalition government, seeking to secure her a third term despite significant losses in Tuesday's parliamentary election.

Frederiksen submitted her resignation to King Frederik X on Wednesday after her previous centrist coalition with the Moderates and Liberals lost its majority. The Social Democrats, who have led Denmark for seven years, recorded their worst performance since 1903, capturing 38 seats in the 179-seat Folketing, down from 50 in the prior election. Despite the decline, the party remains the largest in parliament, with its left-wing bloc holding 84 seats overall, edging out the right-leaning bloc's 77. Neither side reached the 90 seats needed for a majority, setting the stage for complex talks in the fragmented 12-party legislature.

Analysts attributed the outcome to voter dissatisfaction with rising living costs and fatigue with Frederiksen's long tenure, though many acknowledged her firm stance against former U.S. President Donald Trump's 2019 threats to purchase Greenland. The election, called as a snap vote in February, highlighted...