The end for Frederiksen? Efforts to form a government in Denmark fail

STOCKHOLM - Denmark's Social Democratic Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has, for now, lost her mandate to form a new government, one and a half months after the country's general election.

King Frederik X has now given the leader of the right-wing liberal Venstre party, Troels Lund Poulsen, the chance to try to form a coalition, the Danish Royal Court said late Friday.

Earlier, Frederiksen had recommended to the king that a further round of so-called "royal consultations" be held. In these, all parliamentary parties meet with the monarch and announce who they wish to see take the lead role in coalition talks.

Following the first round of talks with the monarch after the general election at the end of March, Frederiksen had been given a mandate to attempt to form a government involving the Socialist People's Party and the left-wing liberals, but has so far failed to achieve a breakthrough.

During the negotiations, she had also spoken with her previous coalition partners: the right-wing liberals and the Moderates, a centrist party led by former prime minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen.

Following the second round of talks with the king on Friday evening, it is now Poulsen's turn to attempt to put together a coalition, for which he may look to the center-right conservative camp.

However, this does not necessarily mean the end of Frederiksen's dream of a third term. She could still eventually become head of government – but for now she won't be leading the negotiations.

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