Denmark's Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, has seen a decline in her approval ratings for the first time since she took office in June 2019. According to a survey conducted by Epinion on
behalf of DR and the Altinget, 33% of the population approves of her job performance, while 39% believe she is doing a poor job. However, the figures are not catastrophic, as many other world leaders have experienced worse ratings.
At the height of the pandemic, the Prime Minister's approval rating rose from below 40% to almost 80% after she took decisive action to impose a corona lockdown ahead of most other countries. However, her popularity has since taken a hit, with only 17% believing she is the best choice for Prime Minister, down from 29% three months ago.
Christian Rabjerg Madsen, the political spokesperson for Frederiksen's party, Socialdemokratiet, believes that the decline in approval ratings is not a reflection of the Prime Minister's or the government's performance but due to the high cost of living and general uncertainty about the future. He emphasized the government's efforts in making difficult decisions, which will enable the country to invest in its welfare society and reduce waiting lists.
The survey also revealed that 72% of respondents had an opinion on the Prime Minister's job performance, with 25% believing she was neither doing well nor badly. Three percent of respondents did not know, while 2% did not answer.
Despite the decline in her approval ratings, Frederiksen has still been praised for her handling of the pandemic. Denmark has one of the highest vaccination rates in Europe, and the government's decision to impose a lockdown early on has been credited with minimizing the impact of the pandemic on the country's health system.
The decline in the Prime Minister's approval ratings comes at a time when Denmark is facing several challenges, including rising house prices, climate change, and migration issues. It remains to be seen how the government will tackle these issues, and whether the Prime Minister's popularity will rebound in the future.