For many years, they were political opponents, but now Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Mette Frederiksen have found harmony together – quite literally. The former Prime Minister and current Foreign Minister, Løkke, reveals in his new audiobook, “The Price of Liberation,” how he and Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen have developed a close and warm relationship that extends far beyond political divides. In the audiobook, Løkke describes an evening in Greenland, where he, together with Mette Frederiksen and Troels Lund Poulsen, also from Venstre (the Liberal Party), suddenly found themselves singing love songs in a hotel bar. “I love you just the way you are,” sang Frederiksen, while Løkke and Lund Poulsen hummed along. The episode took place at Hotel Hans Egede in Nuuk during a council meeting, and according to Løkke, it was a moment that symbolized their transformed relationships.
Løkke reflects on the surprising shift from political rivals to close allies and explains that it requires a certain political insight to understand this transformation. “You probably have to be a political animal to understand it,” he says in the audiobook. He adds that their new friendship is based on mutual trust and a willingness to set aside past disagreements to work together for the good of the country. The audiobook “The Price of Liberation” is narrated by journalist Kirsten Jacobsen and is released by Politikens Forlag as a podbook, a hybrid between a podcast and an audiobook. It lasts 181 minutes and provides a personal insight into Løkke’s political and personal life, including his thoughts and reflections on his 60th birthday.
Although the book has received mixed reviews, it offers a unique insight into the personal relationships and political cooperation that can emerge across traditional party lines. It is a story of reconciliation and collaboration that may inspire a new way of thinking about politics in Denmark.