Welcome back to another brand new episode of The Danish Connection - this is a special one!

Government moves to ban ads for junk food aimed at children
Reported by Melissa


As part of Cancer Plan V, Denmark will tighten its Marketing Act to stop influencers and companies from targeting children under 15 with ads for soda, chips, and fast food. Melissa explores what sparked the change, what it means for public health, and whether it signals a broader shift in the ‘Wild West’ of influencer marketing on social media.

Decision to ban Palestine debate from school elections raises concerns over censorship
Reported by Rachel


The Danish Parliament’s Presidium has blocked youth parties from including Palestinian statehood in next year’s school election debates, stating the topic is too sensitive and complex for the students to debate in the three week time frame. Rachel unpacks the backlash from student leaders and left-wing parties, and discusses what this means for civic education and freedom of expression in Danish schools.

Navigating pregnancy in Denmark: A guide for international mothers


Reported by Eva


Eva shares her own pregnancy journey and kicks off an important discussion on maternity in Denmark for internationals. From public fertility services to prenatal care, hospital rights, leave policies, and baby welcome packages - this is essential listening for expectant parents navigating a foreign system.

For more information about everything Eva speaks about in this episode, explore these links:

borger.dk (Citizens service page)

Sundhedsstyrelsens.dk (The official Danish health authority)

https://ast.dk/  (Board of Equal Treatment (Ligebehandlingsnævnet) - for complaints and pregnancy discrimination cases

https://sagfoererne.com  Arbejdsmiljøet (Work Environment Authority) - regarding workplace safety. They can recommend changes to reduce workload for pregnant staff

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 [email protected] 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!

The rain is back, and so are we!

This week on The Danish Connection:

Political push to limit English in Danish institutions

Reported by Rachel

Are Danes speaking too much English in their daily lives? Two parties are proposing new language laws to restrict English in public spaces and education. While supporters argue it's about protecting Danish identity, critics say it's out of touch with an increasingly global society. We asked some Danes what they think about it.

Denmark opens embassy in Tunisia amid human rights criticism

Reported by Melissa

While Denmark deepens ties with Tunisia on climate and migration, human rights watchdogs warn of growing repression against migrants, activists, and journalists under the current regime. Can diplomatic engagement coexist with ethical foreign policy, and are there other interests at play?

Major criminal justice reform: harsher sentences, smarter reintegration?

Reported by Eva

A historic reform package will expand Denmark’s prison capacity, double sentences for violent crimes, and invest in new reintegration models. But staffing shortages and other challenges remain. What does the future look like for Denmark’s justice system?

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 [email protected] 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!

Happy Sunday everyone!

This week on The Danish Connection:

Copenhagen car crash raises questions about driving laws for the elderly

*Reported by Rachel

A 75-year-old man was held in custody last week after injuring 12 people in a serious car accident near the lakes in central Copenhagen. He claims confusion and a slipped foot caused the crash, but the court suspects he knew he was unable to drive safely.

Denmark turns to foreign labour to address elder care shortage

*Reported by Eva

The government is forming recruitment deals with countries like India and the Philippines to fill an urgent shortage in elderly care staff. With projections showing a 10,000 worker gap in the next decade, the initiative marks a major policy shift. We talk about integration issues with foreign labour initiatives in the past, and whether choices regarding foreign labour are too selective.

The King’s ‘Apolitical’ trip to Greenland

*Reported by Melissa

King Frederik’s second visit to Greenland in just a year is being interpreted as a deliberate message of unity. With updates to the royal coat of arms and rising talk of “The Kingdom,” the monarchy appears to be taking a more active role in shaping the Denmark-Greenland relationship. But can any monarchy really be considered Apolitical?

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 [email protected] 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!

We’re back! Did you miss us?

This week on The Danish Connection:

• Melissa shares the case of Nadine, a woman raised in Denmark since she was a child who is now facing possible deportation over a 20-year-old citizenship "mistake." She also shares how a Facebook comment may have worked against her, and what this says about citizenship, rights, and political pressure in Denmark.

• Rachel discusses a major shift in reproductive rights: Denmark has officially extended the abortion limit from 12 to 18 weeks. She breaks down the new law, the political debates it has sparked, and what Mette Frederiksen has to say about it.

• Eva looks into why after almost 150 years, Denmark’s oldest women’s magazine Femina decided to end its weekly print editions - and then quickly backtracked on its decision. She also looks into how this correlates to PostNord’s decision to shut down its letter-delivering service in favour of digitalization, and what this means for Denmark’s older residents.

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 [email protected] 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!

The world is changing - and so is Denmark’s place in it.

Welcome to The Situation Room. In this special bonus series from The Danish Connection, we are joined by Jonas Friis. Jonas has been in the military for thirteen years, he is currently a naval officer, and aside from that, he is interested in investigating, understanding and commenting on the Danish military and it’s place in the global defense context.

In this episode, Jonas sits down with Hans Peter Michealsen - an independent defense analyst and speaker who shares insights on Denmark's defense policy - to discuss the details of the Danish military rearmament plan and Denmark’s future in an era of rapid geopolitical shifts.

You can learn more about Hans Peter’s talks at Forsvarsforedrag.dk, forsvarsanalyse.dk.

Welcome to another episode of The Expat’s Toolkit - where we give you tools and actionable tips on how to thrive as an immigrant in Denmark. You may remember our episode with Signe about finding a job in your field in Denmark, or with Rasmus about learning to unionize. 

In today’s episode, we are talking about something most of us struggle with - learning Danish.

To do this, we sat down with Sigga Hansen, teacher and founder of Lingua Danica. With over 75,000 followers on social media, Sigga has built one of the largest communities for Danish learners worldwide with the mission of making the Danish language and culture accessible to all.

In this episode we chat to Sigga about common struggles internationals face when learning Danish, why learning Danish is important for integration, common challenges of pronunciation and grammar, the differences between public and private language schools and practical tips to make learning Danish more fun!

Eva also shares her experience navigating the language, while Rachel reflects on her own (non-existent) Danish learning journey.

Welcome back to another episode of your favourite Danish news podcast!

Greenlanders have voted: Melissa discusses Demokraatit's surprise election victory in Greenland and what it means for Greenland’s future.

Denmark boycotts US goods: Eva examines how Danish consumers are taking action by boycotting American products in response to Trump's policies, with some of Denmark’s major retailers joining the movement.

Rich on diet pills: Novo invests millions in junk food: Rachel digs into Danwatch’s investigation into Novo Nordisk’s investments of U.S employee pension funds in fast food chains, while profiting from obesity medications. She chats to Investigative journalist Joachim Kattrup about his investigation and how Novo Nordisk have responded.

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 [email protected] 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!

In collaboration with @cphpost

Hosted by @_mariaeva, @rachsheary and @Melissamarchi

Edited by Maria Eva De Sanctis

Music by @Julietarod

Cover Picture by @kammarad

Broadcasting in @unionkbh

#danishnewsinenglish #boycott #greenlandicelections #novonordisk #investigation

Happy Kvindernes Internationale Kampdag—aka International Women’s Day! 🎉

In this special episode, we take you through the history of the feminist movement in Denmark and explore what it means to practice feminism—both in the past and today.

To do that, we’re joined by the amazing Nadia (TAG)—a Danish-Algerian feminist activist, project manager, advisor, writer, and cultural facilitator based in Copenhagen. She works internationally at the intersection of gender equality, politics, and leadership, managing a global network of women leaders and advising on diversity, inclusion, and youth.

For this occasion, Nadia helps us travel through time, reflecting on past battles, present challenges, and the road ahead.

Have a listen! ✨

This week on The Danish Connection:

• Rachel talks about the protests outside Maersk HQ on February 23rd, when 1,000 protesters gathered to demonstrate against the Danish shipping giant’s alleged transportation of military equipment to Israel, and why things took an unexpectedly violent turn. She also discusses the Danwatch investigation that found more than 2,000 consignment notes of shipments from the US to Israel between September 2023 and September 2024.

• Eva unpacks the Danish government’s new wellbeing commission, established due to concern over alarming statistics indicating that nearly half of individuals aged 0 to 25 are experiencing a decline in well-being. She picks out some of the 35 recommendations that have been published.

• Rachel discusses the government’s special billion kroner fund for the rapid rearmament of Denmark's defense force and Denmark’s two billion DKK donation to Ukraine, as relations between the United States and Europe weaken.

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 [email protected] 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!

Hello friends! We hope you’re staying warm out there.

This week on The Danish Connection:

* Rachel unpacks how a trade war between Denmark and the United States would impact the Danish economy, what companies would be worst hit and what products the States would be missing most.

* Eva talks about the deadly school shooting in Risbergska school in Örebro, Sweden, where ten people lost their lives earlier this month - including the gunman himself. She looks into the details of the attack and explains why Swedish and Danish police and press are often tight lipped about tragic news.

* Melissa discusses the return of the wolf to Denmark, what it means for Danish ecology, and why some of Jutland’s residents are unhappy about it.

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 [email protected] 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!

In collaboration with The Copenhagen Post and Union KBH

Hosted by Maria Eva Friis De Sanctis, Rachel Sheary, and Melissa Marchi

Edited by Maria Eva De Sanctis

Music by Julieta Rod

Cover Picture by Martin Lange

Follow us on Instagram @thedkconnection

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