Denmark to hold early election after Greenland standoff with Trump

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has called a general election for March 24 following a tense standoff with U.S. President Donald Trump over Greenland; campaigning has begun and polls recently showed a boost for her party.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced an early general election for March 24 as the country processes a recent diplomatic standoff with U.S. President Donald Trump over Greenland. She framed the vote as a choice for Denmark's direction and said voters should decide the next four years. The episode involved U.S. talk of control over Greenland and threatened tariffs, and the U.S., Denmark and Greenland have since opened technical talks on an Arctic security arrangement. Polls in recent weeks showed increased support for Frederiksen's Social Democrats. Key facts: - Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen formally called an early general election for March 24. - The election will determine members of Denmark's 179-seat parliament, which includes seats for Greenland and the Faroe Islands. - The announcement followed a diplomatic standoff with U.S. President Donald Trump over Greenland and the start of technical talks on Arctic security involving the U.S., Denmark and Greenland. - Recent polls showed a rise in support for the Social Democrats in the period dominated by the Greenland issue. Summary: Frederiksen's decision makes the Greenland standoff a central context for the campaign and has coincided with a boost in support for her party. Campaigning has already begun and the next scheduled procedural step is the national election on March 24.