More than 300 municipally elected officials in Denmark have switched parties since the 2021 municipal elections, according to a report by TV 2. This unusually high number of party switches has raised concerns about voter trust and political stability.

TV 2’s count reveals that at least 305 politicians now represent a different party than the one they were initially elected under. These politicians collectively received nearly 150,000 personal votes from citizens who believed they were voting for a representative of a specific party. Municipal researcher Roger Buch describes the figure as “unusually high“.

In comparison, the previous two election periods saw 155 and 173 city council members switching parties, respectively. The current number of party switches highlights a significant increase in this behavior. There are 2,436 municipal politicians in Denmark’s 98 municipalities.

Political scientists attribute this trend to national political developments. Professor Helene Helboe Pedersen notes that the Danish People’s Party’s internal crisis, the near collapse of New Right, and the absence of the Moderates and the Denmark Democrats on the ballot in the last municipal election are contributing factors. According to Helene Helboe Pedersen, “It aligns with the national political trend that we are seeing an increase in party switching over time“.

The shifts have even altered the composition of some municipal councils. On Bornholm, Venstre and Bornholmerlisten no longer hold seats, while the Conservatives have increased their representation from three to five mandates. This “instability in the party system” could lead to voter fatigue as citizens may feel betrayed by individual politicians.