The Danish Connection

The Danish Connection

How do you access news in Denmark if you don’t speak Danish? There are 652,495 foreign citizens living in Denmark. For non-Danes, accessing news in English is….complicated. Most news outlets are paywalled and google translate does a pretty terrible job of translating Danish to English. In collaboration with Union and The CPH Post, we bring you The Danish Connection - a new podcast breaking down Danish news in English! This is your place to share enquiries, opinions and tales of the immigrant experience in Denmark. Hosted by María Eva, Rachel and Melissa, new episodes every second Sunday.

  1. 6 days ago

    Denmark and Greenland's genocide dispute, PET's Russian sabotage warning and farmers protest the nitrogen law

    This week on The Danish Connection: We unpack the long-awaited "spiral case" reports into decades of non-consensual IUD insertions on Greenlandic women and girls — and why the international expert panel split into two conflicting conclusions on whether it amounted to genocide. We discuss PET's warning that Russia has drawn up concrete sabotage plans targeting Denmark, including companies tied to military aid for Ukraine, and what this reveals about the scale of the threat facing Danish defence infrastructure. We talk about the farmers who drove 300 tractors into Copenhagen last week to protest the new nitrogen regulation law, L5, which just passed with a large majority in the Folketing. Plus: Maria Pagola is back with another season of Stories from the Streets. This time she is uncovering "De uskrevne regler," the unwritten rules of Danish life - the things that nobody tells you about, but everybody is expected to know. Rule number one is.....Silence. As always you can find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or by simply clicking the link in bio. Remember - this is your place to share enquiries, opinions and tales of the immigrant experience in Denmark - and we want to hear from you. Pop us a DM on Instagram or via email thedanishconnectionnews@gmail.com and let us know if you have a story you would like to contribute. If you liked this episode and think it would be useful for someone you know - please share it with them!

  2. 1 Sept

    Denmark ends automatic asylum for Ukrainian men and Inger Støjberg's 15 point plan against "Islamic dominance" in schools

    This week on The Danish Connection: We unpack Denmark's quiet but significant shift on Ukrainian refugees, as men of military age arriving after June 25th will no longer automatically qualify for protection under the special law introduced in 2022. We look at the EU-wide pressure behind the change, and the uncomfortable reality awaiting men sent back: from forced "busification" to documented violence against draft evaders. We discuss Inger Støjberg and Danmarksdemokraterne's package of 15 proposals targeting what the party calls "Islamic dominance culture" in Danish upper-secondary schools, which includes banning puffer jackets, fasting and headscarves to a proposed 25% ceiling on students with a non-Western background. We talk about how the debate connects to the Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir's recent outreach to young Muslims, and unpack who Støjberg is, including her conviction by Denmark's Court of Impeachment. Plus, we give a shout out to a volunteer-run Copenhagen choir made up of 19 nationalities, who took home a win at the World Choir Games this month. As always you can find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or by simply clicking the link in bio. Remember - this is your place to share enquiries, opinions and tales of the immigrant experience in Denmark - and we want to hear from you. Pop us a DM on Instagram or via email ⁠thedanishconnectionnews@gmail.com⁠ and let us know if you have a story you would like to contribute. If you liked this episode and think it would be useful for someone you know - please share it with them!

  3. 16 Aug

    Frederiksen and Meloni's insta collab, a brief history of Pride in Denmark and the problem wolf shot in Jylland

    This week on The Danish Connection: We break down Wednesday's heated Folketing debate triggered by Spain's Ceuta crisis, where Mette Frederiksen, Morten Bødskov and Nicolai Wammen faced nearly three hours of questioning from the blue bloc. With calls to suspend Spain from Schengen to old grudges emerging over the handling of the refugee crisis in 2015, we discuss whether this was a genuine crisis management meeting or a piece of political theatre. We also break down the recent social media collaboration between Italy's Meloni and Mette Frederiksen. We also dive into Copenhagen Pride 2026 and dive into the history of Pride in Denmark, which traces its roots back to Stonewall and Denmark's own 1971 demonstrations. We discuss the return of major sponsors like Danske Bank, Google and LEGO after 2024's sponsorship exodus over Gaza. We also unpack what it really means for a company to sponsor Pride, and where the line sits between solidarity and "pinkwashing." We cover Denmark's growing wolf controversy, after a "problem wolf" that had been unsettling residents in West Jutland, including incidents involving children in Nørre Nebel and a runner near Bunken Klitplantage, was tracked down using thermal drones and shot dead near Vestjylland. As always you can find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or by simply clicking the link in bio. Remember - this is your place to share enquiries, opinions and tales of the immigrant experience in Denmark - and we want to hear from you. Pop us a DM on Instagram or via email thedanishconnectionnews@gmail.com and let us know if you have a story you would like to contribute. If you liked this episode and think it would be useful for someone you know - please share it with them!

  4. 12 Jul

    Festival gossip, the midwife burnout crisis, a fatal assault at Islands Brygge and the church enters the Danish parliament

    This week on The Danish Connection: We unpack our experience at Roskilde and discuss some of the stories making the headlines this week in relation to the festival, including hidden cameras in areas where women were urinating, sexual assaults and trash issues.  We discuss the fatal assault at a public World Cup screening at Islands Brygge, which resulted in the death of a Swedish man. We talk about how the assault has reignited debates around crime and immigration and unpack the Prime Minister’s social media post about the incident. We talk about a new report highlighting the growing number of Denmark’s midwives leaving the profession just a few years after qualifying, raising questions about burnout, working conditions and how long the system can sustain itself. We unpack the latest figures, the human stories behind them and what it means for the future of maternity care in Denmark. Finally, we discuss the Danish parliament’s decision to introduce a chaplain service for politicians and staff and what its says about the relationship between church and state in Denmark today. As always you can find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or by simply clicking the link in bio. Remember - this is your place to share enquiries, opinions and tales of the immigrant experience in Denmark - and we want to hear from you. Pop us a DM on Instagram or via email thedanishconnectionnews@gmail.com and let us know if you have a story you would like to contribute. If you liked this episode and think it would be useful for someone you know - please share it with them!

  5. 14 Jun

    The new government explained, tougher EU migration rules and what degrees give you top salaries in Denmark

    This week on The Danish Connection: After months of negotiations following the 2026 election, Denmark finally has a new government. From strict immigration policies, reforms to the pork industry and selective citizenship processes, we break down what is (and isn’t) changing. We are joined by the amazing Nicholas Woolhead who helps us to break it all down. We also look beyond Denmark to the EU’s new Migration and Asylum Pact, which is set to reshape how borders, asylum applications and deportations are handled across Europe. With faster procedures, increased detention and new “return hubs” outside the EU, we discuss Denmark's role in shaping this policy. Finally, we talk about how much your degree really matters in Denmark and what degrees yield the highest salaries. With salary differences of up to 40,000 DKK a month depending on what you study, we explore which paths open doors and which ones may be trickier, especially if you don’t speak Danish. As always you can find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or by simply clicking the link in bio. Remember - this is your place to share enquiries, opinions and tales of the immigrant experience in Denmark - and we want to hear from you. Pop us a DM on Instagram or via email thedanishconnectionnews@gmail.com and let us know if you have a story you would like to contribute. If you liked this episode and think it would be useful for someone you know - please share it with them!

  6. 17 May

    Police fail to investigate cases, ghetto law under scrutiny and social media ban for under 15s

    This week on The Danish Connection: We talk about Denmark's controversial 'ghetto law' which has been brought to the European Court of Justice, with residents of Mjølnerparken arguing that the policy discriminates based on ethnicity. As the case moves to the Danish courts, we look at what is happening in Mjølnerparken now, from gang violence and pressuring renters to leave to broader questions about integration and gentrification. We discuss a huge scandal unfolding in the media right now: a major government audit has revealed that Danish police have been closing thousands of cases without investigation while telling victims otherwise. We break down how this practice, known internally as 'case washing', came to light, what the findings show and what it could mean for trust in Danish institutions going forward. We talk about a proposed EU ban on social media for children. With Denmark among the countries pushing for stronger regulation, we unpack what this could look like in practice and the role of tech platforms in young people’s lives. As always you can find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or by simply clicking the link in bio. Remember - this is your place to share enquiries, opinions and tales of the immigrant experience in Denmark - and we want to hear from you. Pop us a DM on Instagram or via email thedanishconnectionnews@gmail.com and let us know if you have a story you would like to contribute. If you liked this episode and think it would be useful for someone you know - please share it with them!

About

How do you access news in Denmark if you don’t speak Danish? There are 652,495 foreign citizens living in Denmark. For non-Danes, accessing news in English is….complicated. Most news outlets are paywalled and google translate does a pretty terrible job of translating Danish to English. In collaboration with Union and The CPH Post, we bring you The Danish Connection - a new podcast breaking down Danish news in English! This is your place to share enquiries, opinions and tales of the immigrant experience in Denmark. Hosted by María Eva, Rachel and Melissa, new episodes every second Sunday.

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