Saturday, May 31, 2025

Polaris of Enlightenment

Immigrants in Denmark must work to receive social benefits

Published 19 October 2023
– By Editorial Staff
Immigrant women represent a large proportion of benefit recipients in Denmark.

Immigrants receiving social benefits in Denmark will henceforth have an obligation to work, according to a new agreement in the Folketing (Danish Parliament).

Foreigners who receive social benefits will need to work at least 37 hours per week unless they meet the requirements of having either resided in Denmark for nine out of the past ten years or have had full-time employment for 2.5 out of the past ten years. The agreement was reached by the Danish government in collaboration with the parties Denmark’s Democrats and the Danish People’s Party.

– We want to send a very clear signal that when you come to Denmark, we expect something from you, and you must work if you can, said Labor Minister Ane Halsboe-Jørgensen at a press conference, according to the state channel DR.

Individuals will be dispatched to so-called “utility jobs,” which will be the responsibility of the municipalities to manage. For example, tasks might include picking up trash or helping make sandwiches in nursing homes.

Focus on immigrant women

Women of different ethnic backgrounds are notably overrepresented in the social benefits system today and are thus highlighted as a particular target group for the new work obligation.

– It’s not good for an individual to be on passive support without any expectations of him or her. We are dealing with a group that is overrepresented in the social benefits system, and therefore we want to make an extra effort, says the Labor Minister.

However, these utility jobs must not be tasks already performed by municipal employees; other tasks must be found.

– It’s up to the municipalities themselves to look beyond their own areas and see which tasks are not being addressed today, says Halsboe-Jørgensen.

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Denmark to ban junk food advertising to children

Published 29 May 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Junk food producers often use "influencers" whose content is aimed at a very young audience.

In a new bill, the Danish government wants to put an end to the advertising of soft drinks, chips and fast food to children under 15. This comes after two companies were criticized for using so-called “influencers” to market junk food to minors.

Last year, food companies Orkla and Danish burger chain The Burger Concept used “influencers” to promote chips and burgers.

For example, the chip brand Kims, owned by Orkla, promoted its chips through the “Kims Chips Battle”, which involved launching and promoting new chip flavors. Those paid to do the advertising were Morten Münster, Jas & Mika and Alexander Husum, who are all active on YouTube. What these “influencers” have in common is that they have a large number of younger followers,

The Danish Food Advertising Association found the ad to be inappropriate and in breach of industry guidelines on marketing as it was aimed at children.

“Must be stopped”

The Danish government now wants to ban junk food advertising aimed at children, reports Danish state broadcaster DR. The main focus of the legislation is on social media and digital platforms, as this is where children are most exposed.

– If you look at social media, you can see that there is a problem. Especially among influencers, a lot of time and energy has been spent on advertising to children and young people, and this must be stopped, says Morten Bødskov, the Danish Social Democrats’ minister for trade and industry.

Advertising junk food in public spaces will still be allowed, as long as it does not target children or use children in the advertising. Bødskov urges people to contact the Consumer Ombudsman if they are unsure, as fines can be high.

We already have rules in the Marketing Act, and the fines are quite high. That will also apply here, says Bødskov.

According to the Danish Cancer Society, almost 80% of all food and drink advertisements that children and young people are exposed to are for products with a high content of fat, sugar and salt.

Frederiksen condemns US leaders’ visit to Greenland: “Unacceptable pressure”

Published 26 March 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Frederiksen argues that Greenland neither wants nor needs the presence of US leaders at this time.

This weekend, Vice President JD Vance’s wife visits Greenland with US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Energy Secretary Chris Wright.

They have not received an invitation, neither from Greenland nor from Denmark – and Mette Frederiksen says it is “unacceptable pressure” and that President Trump is serious about his threats to take control of the giant island.

The US describes the visit as unofficial, but it comes shortly after Trump has repeatedly put pressure on Greenland and Denmark with his statements that the US wants to take over the island.

– This cannot be seen independently of the statements and reports that we have heard from the US side, from January until now, Frederiksen told TV2, arguing that “you cannot make a private visit with official representatives from another country“.

– This is clearly not a visit that is about what Greenland needs or what Greenland wants from visitors from outside now.

“He wants Greenland”

Trump administration officials themselves claim that this is a purely cultural visit and that they will attend a sled dog race, among other things.

However, Frederiksen does not give much credence to this explanation, and she points out that government negotiations are currently underway following the Greenlandic election earlier in March in addition, Greenlandic politicians have explicitly said no to foreign state visits at the moment.

– President Donald Trump is serious and means business. He wants Greenland, warns the Danish Prime Minister.

“We are allies”

Greenland’s head of government, Múte B. Egede, has said that the uninvited visit clearly shows a lack of respect for Greenland on the part of the Americans, and Frederiksen shares that view. She also emphasizes that Denmark and the US have a long history of close cooperation and that she continues to regard the country as an important ally.

– There is nothing but a desire on the part of both Greenland and Denmark to cooperate with the Americans. We are allies. We have a defense agreement on Greenland that goes back to 1951.

– But it is clear that when you organize a visit in this way and the Greenlandic politicians clearly say that they do not want the visit, you cannot interpret it as respectful, she continues.

Nordic for 1000 years

Greenland has been Danish since the early 1700s. First as a colony, then as a Danish county and today as an autonomous and largely self-governing region of the Danish realm. Already 1000 years ago, however, the island was discovered by Nordic adventurers which The Nordic Times also wrote about.

Today, the island is mainly populated by Inuit and the independence movement is strong on the island, with most parties believing that Greenland should be neither Danish nor American but with different views on how and at what pace sovereignty should be achieved.

In the recent election, the social liberal Demokraatit became the largest party much to the relief of many Danish politicians. While this party also wants Greenlandic independence, it believes that it must be achieved gradually and wants to maintain close ties and a good relationship with Denmark while taking a dim view of US ambitions to take it over.

LEGO announces collaboration with Pokémon

Published 20 March 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Pokémon management describes the collaboration with LEGO as “the perfect partnership”.

For the first time ever, Danish LEGO is launching a collaboration with Japanese Pokémon. The new products will be on the market next year.

Julia Goldin, Director of Product and Marketing at Lego Group, says they are “thrilled to be working with a brand that has such a deep and passionate fanbase as Pokémon.

– We strongly believe that through the endless possibilities of LEGO play and the exciting adventures the world of Pokémon brings, this partnership will create a range of new possibilities for Trainers and builders alike, she said in a press release.

Gaku Susai, Director of Product and Marketing at The Pokémon Company International, says the two companies share the same values and that this is “the perfect partnership”.

– We cannot wait to see both LEGO fans and the Pokémon community’s reactions in 2026, he says.

So far, there are no details about the partnership, but Lego says it will update more about it throughout the year.

Danish PM: Prolonged war may be preferable to peace in Ukraine

The war in Ukraine

Published 13 March 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Mette Frederiksen with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

Ukraine and the US have reportedly agreed on a proposal for a temporary ceasefire, and while it is not yet clear what Russia’s position is on the terms, many hope that it could soon lead to a lasting peace in the Ukrainian war.

However, many EU leaders are against a peace agreement, including Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who believes that continuing the war could be a much better option than a ceasefire.

Frederiksen, like many of her EU colleagues, has recently focused on the need for Europe to arm itself heavily to “deter” Russia, arguing that a Russian invasion could be very close.

– I don’t think we should panic. But i think we are in a hurry. And I think we have been in a hurry for three years but now we really have to scale up and speed up and scale up. Because Russia and Putin is not only threatening Ukraine but all of us and we have to be able to defend ourselves, she recently told assembled journalists.

The Socialist Prime Minister says there is no alternative but for Ukraine to win the war and that a ceasefire or ending the fighting could be very negative.

If we end this war now some kind of frozen conflict ceasefire it will give Russia the possibility to return to Russia to mobilize more funds, people and maybe to attack another country in Europe, she warns.

In another interview with the AP, she reiterates the message that a quick ceasefire is not a positive thing at all, but rather something that fills her with concern.

– I am very concerned about making a fast ceasefire because it can actually give Putin and Russia a better possibility to go back and re-ramp and mobilize again and attack Ukraine or another country in Europe.

“Even more dangerous situation”

Frederiksen further states that she does not believe Russian President Vladimir Putin when he says he wants peace in Ukraine, and several media outlets report that the Prime Minister believes that “we risk that peace in Ukraine is actually more dangerous than the war that is happening now”.

– We risk that a ceasefire does not bring peace and in reality puts other European countries and Ukraine in an even more dangerous situation, because Russia might use a ceasefire – if it is on the wrong terms – to mobilize, restart and attack a new country, the Prime Minister reiterates in another interview, this time on Danish TV2.

Recurring rhetoric

Many observers have long pointed to the EU’s liberal establishment’s strong disapproval of the possible end of the war in Ukraine, and the suspicion and rejection of the Trump administration’s new diplomatic approach. Instead, the recurring message is that Europe must prepare for further escalation and direct conflict with Moscow.

Those who reject diplomacy, like Frederiksen, tend to justify their opposition by claiming that Moscow cannot be trusted and that other countries risk being attacked after Ukraine if the war against Russia is not continued. The Western Bloc establishment media at large, including Sweden, takes a similar line, with headlines such as “After Ukraine – Sweden could be Russia’s next target” and Swedish politicians declaring that we “must prepare for war if we want peace” and “plan for the worst”.

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