Prime Minister of Denmark

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Prime Minister of Denmark" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (June 2012) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Prime Minister of Denmark
Statsministeren
Coat of arms of Denmark
State Flag of Denmark
Incumbent Mette Frederiksen since 27 June 2019
Executive branch of the Danish Government Ministry of the State
Style	His/her Excellency (diplomatic, outside Denmark[1])
Member of	Council of State Cabinet European Council
Residence	Marienborg
Seat	Christiansborg, Copenhagen, Denmark
Appointer	The Monarch Based on Appointee's ability to gain majority support in the Folketing
Term length	No fixed term
Precursor	Privy Councillor
Formation	22 March 1848; 176 years ago (22 March 1848)
First holder	Adam Wilhelm Moltke
Succession	by the 2nd highest ranking Privy counsellor
Deputy	Permanent secretary to the prime minister
Salary	1,458,000 DKK (€195,900) annually[2]
Website	Official website

Politics of Denmark
Constitution Fundamental laws Act of Succession Freedom of Speech Freedom of the Press
The Crown Monarch Frederik X Crown Prince Christian Royal family Privy Council Purveyors to the Royal Court
The unity of the Realm Denmark proper Faroe Islands Greenland
Executive Government Frederiksen II Prime Minister (list) Mette Frederiksen Government Offices Ministries High Commissioners Faroe Islands Greenland
Legislature Folketinget (parliament) Speaker: Søren Gade Members
Judiciary Supreme Court of Denmark Courts of Denmark Court of the Faroe Islands Courts of Greenland Judicial review
Elections Political parties: Denmark Faroe Islands Greenland Recent elections Parliamentary: 2022 2019 2015 European: 2019 2014 2009 Referendums
Administrative divisions Denmark proper Regions Municipalities Constituencies Faroe Islands Subdivisions of the Faroe Islands Greenland Subdivisions of Greenland
Foreign relations Ministry of Foreign Affairs Minister: Lars Løkke Rasmussen Diplomatic missions of / to the Kingdom Nationality law Passport Visa requirements Visa policy Arctic policy of the Kingdom Politics of the European Union Arctic policy of the EU Denmark and the EU Faroe Islands and the EU Greenland and the EU
Related topics Arctic Command Defence Command Politics of the Faroe Islands Politics of Greenland Unitarism Home rule Self rule
Denmark portal Other countries
v t e

The prime minister of Denmark (Danish: Danmarks statsminister, Faroese: Forsætisráðharri, Greenlandic: Ministeriuneq) is the head of government in the Kingdom of Denmark comprising the three constituent countries: Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands. Before the creation of the modern office, the kingdom did not initially have a head of government separate from its head of state, namely the monarch, in whom the executive authority was vested. The Constitution of 1849 established a constitutional monarchy by limiting the powers of the monarch and creating the office of premierminister. The inaugural holder of the office was Adam Wilhelm Moltke.

The prime minister presides over a cabinet that is formally appointed by the monarch. In practice, the appointment of the prime minister is determined by their support in the Folketing (the National Parliament). Since the beginning of the 20th century, no single party has held a majority in the Folketing so the prime minister must head a coalition of political parties, as well as their own party. Additionally, only four coalition governments since World War II have enjoyed a majority in the Folketing, so the coalitions (and the prime minister) must also gain loose support from other minor parties.

The current prime minister of Denmark is Mette Frederiksen, since 27 June 2019. Since 2022 her cabinet consists of the Social Democrats, Venstre, and the Moderates.