Pernille Rosenkrantz-Theil chosen as Social Democrats’ Lord Mayor candidate in Copenhagen

Pernille Rosenkrantz-Theil, the former Minister of Social Affairs and Housing, has officially been selected as the Social Democrats’ candidate for the position of Lord Mayor of Copenhagen. The party announced her candidacy in a press release. She ran unopposed, and the Copenhagen Social Democrats confirmed her leadership in preparation for next autumn’s municipal elections.

After the meeting, a beaming Rosenkrantz-Theil addressed the press, acknowledging the tension involved in her candidacy. “It may not have seemed exciting to you, but for me, being the candidate brings significant anticipation,” she remarked.

Her candidacy was first announced during a government reshuffle nearly two weeks ago, which saw the previous Lord Mayor, Sofie Hæstorp Andersen, take over her ministerial position. Despite stepping down as a minister, Rosenkrantz-Theil remains a member of the Danish Parliament and intends to continue her parliamentary duties for now. “I’m still a member of Parliament, even though I’m no longer a minister,” she stated.

The Social Democratic leadership has recently decided to reconsider a long-standing ban on dual mandates, which has previously restricted party members from holding seats in both local councils and Parliament.

In the last municipal election, the Social Democrats experienced a historically poor outcome in Copenhagen, and Rosenkrantz-Theil is tasked with regaining voter confidence. “There are definite issues in Copenhagen that need addressing, and we must be critical of a system we’ve been part of for over a century,” she noted, highlighting challenges in childcare and housing availability. At 47 years old, Rosenkrantz-Theil is a resident of Copenhagen.