The parliamentary elections on November 20, 2001 were decided by the right-wing conservative camp, the third strongest force with 12% of the votes were the right-wing populists (Danish People’s Party). A. Fogh Rasmussen (Liberal Party) then formed a minority government from his and the Conservative People’s Party and introduced a more restrictive policy on foreigners and development aid (first appointment of a Minister for Refugees, Immigration and Integration).

Based on positive economic development, the Rasmussen cabinet implemented the »tax freeze« promised during the elections. Under the Danish EU Council Presidency, the largest enlargement of the Community to date (by ten states on May 1, 2004) was decided at the Copenhagen summit on December 13, 2002. In the Iraq conflict, the Danish government supported the USA (co-signer of a declaration on Iraq dated December 30th, 2003, patrol operation of the Danish Navy in the Persian Gulf) and after the war sent around 500 soldiers with security and support tasks to southern Iraq. The military engagement ended in August 2007.

According to globalsciencellc, the parliamentary elections on February 8, 2005 clearly confirmed the Rasmussen government; the Social Democrats suffered a defeat for the second time in a row. The Danish People’s Party gained a little (13.3% of the vote); The most significant increase was achieved by the opposition Social Liberal Party (increase in seats from 7 to 16). The publication of 12 cartoons on the subject of Mohammed in the Danish newspaper »Jyllands-Posten« on 9/30/2005 led to protests (demonstrations and attacks on Danish and other Western embassies) in numerous Islamic countries, including diplomatic and economic boycotts, at the beginning of 2006, some of which were violent. On February 20, 2006, Denmark and Norway signed a border treaty that set the sea border between Svalbard and Greenland on the center line in the North Atlantic.

Denmark experienced an economic boom and a low unemployment rate under Prime Minister A. F. Rasmussen. Based on the success of his government, Rasmussen set early elections for November 13, 2007, from which his party Venstre emerged with losses (decrease from 29.0 to 26.2% of the votes). The Prime Minister was then able to continue his minority government, which was supported by the Danish People’s Party, with a narrow majority. After years of growth, the economy cooled off as a result of the global financial crisis in 2008/09. In March 2009, the Danish Parliament approved the construction of a bridge over the Fehmarnbelt. Prime Minister Rasmussen announced his resignation on April 5th, 2009 after being appointed Secretary General of NATO. He was succeeded by L. Løkke Rasmussen (Venstre).

On June 21, 2009 the law on extended autonomy for Greenland came into force. In 2010 the government decided on a package of measures to consolidate the budget. In July 2011, Denmark stepped up its border controls to fight crime. This triggered an examination by the EU Commission to investigate the compatibility of this measure with the Schengen Agreement.

In the parliamentary elections on September 15, 2011, the left-wing parties were able to win a majority of the seats, although the Social Democrats, led by H. Thorning-Schmidt , lost votes as in 2007.

Thorning-Schmidt formed a left coalition of Social Democrats, Social Liberals and the Socialist People’s Party. This was the first time a woman became head of the Danish government. On January 15, 2012, Queen Margaret II celebrated. her 40th anniversary of the throne, which was celebrated with several festivities in Copenhagen. A tax reform passed in summer 2012, which provided relief for employees by increasing the tax-free amount and the income threshold for the top tax rate, was also controversial in coalition circles. The reform, which was supposed to create 15,000 jobs, was supported by higher taxes, among other things. on luxury goods and counter-financed through reduced adjustment rates for social benefits. After disputes over the sale of shares in the state-owned energy supplier Dong to the US bank Goldman Sachs, the Socialist People’s Party announced in January 2014 that it would withdraw from the governing coalition. Prime Minister H. Thorning-Schmidt The government then continued with the remaining coalition partner, the social liberals, and used the necessary government reshuffle to undertake a comprehensive reorganization of their cabinet. In the elections to the European Parliament on May 25, 2014, the right-wing populist Danish People’s Party emerged as the clearly strongest force with 26.6% (+ 11.8%). On 14./15. In 2015 an Islamist carried out attacks in Copenhagen: a documentary filmmaker was fatally shot when a cultural center was shot on February 14, and a security guard posted in front of a synagogue was shot the following night. The assassin was then killed in an exchange of fire with the police. In response to the events, the Danish Parliament passed an anti-terrorism package, including: provided for an increase in police and security forces.

The parliamentary elections on June 18, 2015 led to a shift to the right and thus triggered a change in political power. Although the Social Democrats, led by Prime Minister Thorning-Schmidt , became the strongest party, winning 26.3% of the vote and 47 seats, the center-right camp (“Blue Block”) consisting of the Danish People’s Party, Liberal Party (Venstre) and Conservative People’s Party and Liberal Alliance win a narrow majority in the Folketing with a total of 90 seats. The right-wing populist Danish People’s Party improved from 22 to 37 seats, making it the second largest parliamentary force. The one by L. Løkke Rasmussen The led Liberal Party (Venstre) suffered a sharp drop in votes and lost 13 of its 47 seats to date. The social liberals ruling with the Social Democrats also recorded considerable losses, winning only 8 seats (2011: 17). Rasmussen failed to form a majority government. His attempt to form a minority government with the Danish People’s Party also failed. He then formed a minority cabinet made up entirely of members of his Venstre party, which began government work on June 28, 2015. In terms of refugee policy, Denmark, where around 21,000 people sought asylum in 2015, took a restrictive course. Random border controls were introduced at the Danish-German border in January 2016. On January 26, 2016, Parliament approved a tightening of the asylum law (including making it more difficult for families to reunite, shortening residence permits). In April 2016, the parliament decided to expand the combat mission against the Islamic State. The Danish Air Force should be flying attacks not only in Iraq but also in Syria. Rasmussen established the base of the government and took representatives from the Conservative People’s Party and the Liberal Alliance into his cabinet.

In the parliamentary elections on June 5, 2019, the ruling liberals under Prime Minister Rasmussen suffered a defeat (43 seats). The Social Democrats under Mette Frederikson (* 1977) achieved the best result with 48 seats. The Danish People’s Party suffered an election debacle with 16 seats. The leader of the Social Democratic Party, Mette Frederikson, who was already Minister of Labor and later Minister of Justice under Thorning-Schmidt II, was sworn in as Prime Minister on June 27, 2019. The Social Democrats form a minority government with the Socialist People’s Party.