Unlock the Editor’s Digest free of charge
Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favorite tales on this weekly publication.
Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has been assaulted in a central Copenhagen sq. in the course of the European election marketing campaign.
The centre-left premier was “in shock” after the assault on Friday by a person on Kultorvet, one among Copenhagen’s predominant squares, her workplace mentioned. Police mentioned that they had arrested a 39-year-old man over the assault, who would seem in court docket on Saturday afternoon. They declined to remark additional on the incident.
Few different particulars have been instantly obtainable. It’s unclear whether or not the assault occurred throughout a marketing campaign occasion for her Social Democrats celebration or as a part of a non-public outing.
“Denmark’s prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, was right now assaulted and hit by a person at Kultorvet in Copenhagen. Mette is of course shocked by the assault. I’ve to say, this shakes all of us who’re near her,” surroundings minister Magnus Heunicke wrote on social media platform X.
Politicians from throughout Denmark’s political spectrum rushed to sentence the assault.
“Stunning that somebody assaults and hits our prime minister,” mentioned Morten Løkkegaard, lead candidate within the European elections for the governing centre-right Liberal celebration.
“It’s essential for our democracy that we will debate no matter political place . . . violence and assaults undermine the general public debate and thus our democracy.”
Inger Støjberg, head of the far-right Denmark Democrats, mentioned: “Democracy is weak if we don’t maintain it. It’s utterly reprehensible to resort to violence.”
Overseas leaders additionally condemned the assault. Ulf Kristersson, Sweden’s centre-right prime minister, mentioned: “An assault on a democratically elected chief can also be an assault on our democracy. Tonight, my ideas and people of my household are together with her.”
“Tonight’s assault on the Danish prime minister is appalling. Violence has no place in politics. Maintain sturdy, Mette!” mentioned Roberta Metsola, president of the European parliament.
The assault towards the Danish prime minister is the most recent in a sequence of violent acts towards European politicians just lately. Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico was shot and severely wounded final month, whereas a number of politicians in Germany have been assaulted in latest weeks.
Neighbouring Sweden has suffered specific political violence over the a long time, with prime minister Olof Palme assassinated in 1986 and overseas minister Anna Lindh stabbed to demise in 2003 earlier than a referendum on adopting the euro.
Frederiksen was seen final 12 months as a number one candidate to exchange Jens Stoltenberg as secretary-general of Nato however did not obtain the approval of US President Joe Biden. Extra just lately, she has been perceived as a favorite for a number one job in Brussels after this weekend’s elections to the European parliament.
