Today in Denmark: A roundup of the news on Monday
Find out what's going on in Denmark today with The Local's short roundup of the news in less than five minutes.
Messerschmidt chosen as new Danish People’s Party leader
Scandal-hit politician Morten Messerschmidt has been chosen as the new leader of the far-Right Danish People's Party, despite an ongoing case over his alleged defrauding of EU funds.
Messerschmidt won 60 percent of the 825 votes, easily beating the two other candidates, Martin Henriksen and Merete Dea Larsen.
Messerschmidt was convicted in August of forging documents and defrauding EU funds. But the judge in the case has since been declared incompetent, meaning the case now needs to be heard in a district court, and perhaps later in Sweden’s high court.
In the run-up to the election, several Danish People’s Party MPs described the ongoing case as a serious hurdle for Messerschmidt’s candidacy.
READ ALSO: Far-right Danish People’s Party chooses new leader
Industry says energy bill up by 9.5 billion kroner
The Confederation of Danish Industry (DI) says that businesses in Denmark spent 9.5 billion kroner more on energy in 2021 compared to 2019 as a result of high gas, electricity and oil prices.
The sum represents a “near doubling of energy overheads for businesses, DI sector director Troels Ranis told broadcaster DR.
Electricity prices rose by up to 275 percent in 2021.
READ ALSO: What do Denmark’s politicians want to do about high energy prices?
More charging ports for electric cars
The number of charging stations for electric cars jumped from 2,879 in 2020 to 4,828 last year, the Ministry of Transport said in a statement.
The 68 percent increase was praised by Transport Minister Benny Engelbrecht.
Sales of electric and hybrid cars have increased rapidly in recent years, hence the demand for more chargers. Denmark is backing green cars in its push to reduce emissions nationally by 70 percent by 2030.
42,018 new Covid-19 cases on Sunday
A total of just over 42,000 new cases of Covid-19 were registered on Sunday. Saturday’s total was 36,120.
Denmark continues to register very high daily figures for new Covid-19 cases, but the number of patients with Covid-19 admitted to hospital is on a relatively mild incline. The number of patients in intensive care with the virus is falling, meanwhile.
813 persons with Covid-19 were admitted to hospitals across Denmark on Sunday. 42 are receiving intensive care for Covid-19 while 27 are being treated with a ventilator.
READ ALSO: Omicron ‘sub-variant’ throws up new virus questions
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Messerschmidt chosen as new Danish People’s Party leader
Scandal-hit politician Morten Messerschmidt has been chosen as the new leader of the far-Right Danish People's Party, despite an ongoing case over his alleged defrauding of EU funds.
Messerschmidt won 60 percent of the 825 votes, easily beating the two other candidates, Martin Henriksen and Merete Dea Larsen.
Messerschmidt was convicted in August of forging documents and defrauding EU funds. But the judge in the case has since been declared incompetent, meaning the case now needs to be heard in a district court, and perhaps later in Sweden’s high court.
In the run-up to the election, several Danish People’s Party MPs described the ongoing case as a serious hurdle for Messerschmidt’s candidacy.
READ ALSO: Far-right Danish People’s Party chooses new leader
Industry says energy bill up by 9.5 billion kroner
The Confederation of Danish Industry (DI) says that businesses in Denmark spent 9.5 billion kroner more on energy in 2021 compared to 2019 as a result of high gas, electricity and oil prices.
The sum represents a “near doubling of energy overheads for businesses, DI sector director Troels Ranis told broadcaster DR.
Electricity prices rose by up to 275 percent in 2021.
READ ALSO: What do Denmark’s politicians want to do about high energy prices?
More charging ports for electric cars
The number of charging stations for electric cars jumped from 2,879 in 2020 to 4,828 last year, the Ministry of Transport said in a statement.
The 68 percent increase was praised by Transport Minister Benny Engelbrecht.
Sales of electric and hybrid cars have increased rapidly in recent years, hence the demand for more chargers. Denmark is backing green cars in its push to reduce emissions nationally by 70 percent by 2030.
42,018 new Covid-19 cases on Sunday
A total of just over 42,000 new cases of Covid-19 were registered on Sunday. Saturday’s total was 36,120.
Denmark continues to register very high daily figures for new Covid-19 cases, but the number of patients with Covid-19 admitted to hospital is on a relatively mild incline. The number of patients in intensive care with the virus is falling, meanwhile.
813 persons with Covid-19 were admitted to hospitals across Denmark on Sunday. 42 are receiving intensive care for Covid-19 while 27 are being treated with a ventilator.
READ ALSO: Omicron ‘sub-variant’ throws up new virus questions
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