In a political earthquake that has sent shockwaves across Europe, Copenhagen has elected its first non-Social Democrat mayor in over a century. The victory of Green Left candidate Sisse Marie Welling on 18 November 2025 represents a fundamental shift in European politics that should serve as a stark warning to Britain's Labour government.
The Failed Danish Experiment
The so-called 'Danish model' that has captivated centre-left parties like Labour has been exposed as fundamentally flawed. Despite years of emulating Denmark's stringent asylum policies, the approach has proven unsuccessful even in its country of origin. Research consistently shows that adopting far-right positions neither delivers electoral success for centrist parties nor defeats far-right opponents.
Mette Frederiksen's Social Democrats have seen their support plummet to just over 20%, with expectations of reaching historic lows in next year's legislative elections. Meanwhile, far-right parties continue to thrive, with the Danish People's Party and new entrants like the Denmark Democrats polling near record highs.
Labour's Misguided Strategy
Britain's Labour government has ignored internal opposition and mounting evidence to pursue policies mirroring Denmark's hardline approach. As polls predicted Copenhagen's political shift, Labour introduced measures designed to replicate Denmark's extreme asylum rules. This strategy represents a fundamental miscalculation of voter behaviour and political dynamics.
Keir Starmer's attempts to win over Reform UK voters are failing dramatically while Labour loses support to the Greens and Liberal Democrats. The pattern mirrors what unfolded in Denmark, where progressive voters abandoned social democrats for parties maintaining clear left-wing principles.
The Rise of Progressive Alternatives
Copenhagen's political transformation highlights a broader European trend where multicultural, progressive cities become battlegrounds for the centre-left's future. Rather than cherishing these urban strongholds, social democratic parties have taken them for granted—even dismissing them as 'woke warriors' in language borrowed from the far right.
The consequence has been the emergence of green and new-left parties like SF and Unity List in Copenhagen, with similar movements appearing in cities like Graz, Austria. These progressive competitors attract younger voters and ethnic minorities, offering both left-wing economic policies and inclusive cultural values.
The Real Lesson for European Politics
Social democratic parties must abandon their pursuit of far-right voters. The strategy not only fails in the short term but actively drives away progressive supporters and prevents the rejuvenation of ageing electorates. To remain relevant, parties must champion clear progressive agendas addressing both economic inequality and cultural inclusion.
The Copenhagen result demonstrates that voters want authentic left-wing alternatives rather than diluted versions of right-wing policies. As Cas Mudde, author of The Far Right Today, argues: 'Opportunistic and often half-hearted anti-immigrant policies will not win over far-right voters. Moreover, their nativist turn will push away progressive voters.'
The message for Labour and other centre-left parties is unmistakable: chasing mythical 'left behind' voters while alienating your core support leads to political irrelevance. The future belongs to parties that boldly combine economic justice with social progress—not those mimicking their opponents' worst instincts.
