Negotiations to form a new government in Denmark following the March 24 parliamentary elections will begin tomorrow, Friday, the Social Democratic Party announced today.

Outgoing Prime Minister and party leader Mette Frederiksen was formally tasked by the king on Wednesday with leading efforts to form a government.

According to a party statement, she will hold exploratory meetings tomorrow with four left-wing parties—the Socialist People’s Party (SF), the Red-Green Alliance, the Social Liberals (Radicals), and the Alternative—as well as the centrist Moderates and two right-wing parties, the Liberals and the Conservatives. Additional meetings are scheduled for March 29 and 31, and April 1.

Together, these eight parties hold 129 of the 179 seats in parliament, representing a broad majority.

The Palace said the king had asked Frederiksen to explore forming a government with SF and the Radicals. However, such a minority government would require significant parliamentary support, explaining the broader round of talks.

Moderates leader Lars Løkke Rasmussen expressed skepticism, saying it would be difficult for his party to support a government composed solely of the Social Democrats, SF, and the Radicals.

He added that he would have been willing to take responsibility for bringing parties together to find common ground across the political spectrum, but criticized the process, saying there was no appetite for that approach and describing it as a “game of musical chairs.”

In 2022, government formation talks in Denmark lasted 42 days.