Denmark held municipal and regional elections on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, which reshaped the map of Danish municipalities: the right-wing Venstre party became the party that retained the largest number of mayoralties, while the Social Democratic Party (Socialdemokratiet) suffered significant losses, described as historic, in a number of major counties.
In the capital city of Copenhagen, the position of "overborgmester" was handed to Sisse Marie Welling, the candidate of the left-wing SF party, following a broad coalition agreement. Nationally, approximately 90 out of 98 mayors have been confirmed, while negotiations to form a government are still ongoing in a limited number of municipalities at the time of writing.
National Results: Key Figures and Indicators
Number of Danish municipalities: 98 municipalities.
The number of municipalities where a confirmed mayor has been announced up to the first updates: about 90, while some municipalities are still sitting at the negotiating table.
Distribution of mayoral positions (according to the news received so far):
Venstre party: won 39 mayoral positions.
The Socialdemokratiet party won 26 mayoral positions.
Det Konservative Folkeparti: Burgmeister won 16 mayoral positions.
SF party: obtained 6 mayoral positions.
As for the Radikale Venstre party, they were given fewer positions.
The new right-wing Danmarksdemokraterne party (Inger Støjberg's party) won their first mayoral post in the party's first ever municipal elections and took over the mayorship of Ringkøbing–Skjern.
Participation rate
The national participation rate was estimated to be higher than in 2021, reaching approximately 69.2% according to sources.
Summary of the main results for the three ruling parties
The Social Democratic Party (Socialdemokratiet) is headed by Mette Frederiksen.
Overall loss: A clear decline in the number of mayors and local seats; early reports indicate a significant decline compared to the 2021 period, with local percentages (in specific municipalities) showing significant decreases, in addition to the loss of historic control in Copenhagen after more than a century of Social Democratic rule over the capital. International newspapers have taken note of this news and addressed the decline in the party's historic popularity.
The right-wing Venstre party, headed by Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen
Composite result: At the level of the overall percentage in some constituencies, the Venstre party recorded a decline in votes in some places, but it succeeded in obtaining the largest number of mayoralties (39 municipalities) thanks to local alliances and the ability to retain leadership seats in multiple municipalities. This makes its relative weakness at the level of votes not contradict its success in winning mayoralties.
The Moderate party, headed by Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen
It achieved very modest results nationwide and secured a limited number of seats in some Danish municipalities.
Analysis of the Copenhagen Capital City Municipality
- Council seats: 55 seats in the Copenhagen City Council.
- The top post of Overborgmester has been won by Sisse Marie Welling of the Socialistisk Folkeparti following a broad party agreement. This ends more than 100 years of Socialdemokratiet dominance of the Overborgmester in Copenhagen—112 years to be exact.
- Central party results in Copenhagen (vote tally and seat figures according to the results summary):
- The Enhedslisten (Red-Green) party: approximately 22.1% and obtained 13 seats (a decrease of two seats compared to the previous election).
- Socialistisk Folkeparti (SF) party: approximately 17.9% and obtained 10 seats (significant progress compared to previous elections).
- Socialdemokratiet party: approximately 12.7% and obtained 8 seats (a clear decline).
- The Conservatives, Radkale Venstre, Liberal Alliance and Dansk Folkeparti parties had varying shares.
note:
Negotiations for the mayoral post and other executive positions proceeded through overnight agreements involving parties from both the right and the left, resulting in a broad coalition that chose Welling as a central solution, as she was more acceptable to right-wing parties than the candidate of the Unity List party, which actually won the most votes in the Copenhagen municipality.
It was noteworthy that the Social Democratic Party candidate, Pernille Rosenkrantz-Theil, had to wait outside the negotiating room with Skander, the friend of the leader of the Free Green Party, who succeeded in winning one of the 55 seats in the Copenhagen municipality.
Expected political repercussions
In the short term: A shift in the balance of power in municipalities means that local issues (municipal budgets, elderly services, school organization, local infrastructure) may be rescheduled according to the priorities of new parties or new local alliances.
On a national level: The relative success of the right-wing Venstre party in winning mayoral positions may give the party strength in political discourse and preparation for future parliamentary elections, while the Social Democratic Party (Socialdemokratiet) will face an internal debate about Mette Frederiksen taking responsibility for her strategies and leadership after her local decline.
