Euroscepticism in Denmark

Denmark’s relationship with the European Union is characterised by a balance of active participation and notable ambivalence, as evidenced by its longstanding opt-outs from core supranational areas. This environment has provided fertile ground for populist movements on both the radical right and the left, which leverage Euroscepticism to influence domestic policy without advocating outright withdrawal. This study offers a qualitative analysis of the political discourse and strategies of three key populist actors in Denmark: the Danish People’s Party (DF), Nye Borgerlige (NB) and the Danish Democrats (DD) on the radical right, and the Red–Green Alliance (EL) on the radical left. It examines how these parties articulate their Eurosceptic positions and assesses the responses from mainstream political factions. Findings indicate that Danish Euroscepticism functions as a flexible, “soft” political resource. The radical right (DF, NB) frames the EU as a threat to cultural homogeneity, border security, and welfare sovereignty. Conversely, the radical left (EL) critiques the EU as a technocratic structure that enforces neoliberal constraints, undermining democratic accountability and ecological progress. Mainstream parties, particularly the Social Democrats, have effectively neutralised the electoral threat posed by radical-right populists by adopting more restrictive immigration and welfare policies, thereby internalising Eurosceptic priorities into mainstream governance. Euroscepticism in Denmark rarely functions as an existential project for EU withdrawal. Instead, it serves as an instrumental proxy for broader domestic conflicts over sovereignty, welfare, and democratic control. While populist actors have successfully shifted mainstream policy, their influence remains structurally constrained by robust public and elite support for continued European integration.