Prime Minister considers new approach after assault. Following an assault, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen (S) is considering her future role and presence in larger gatherings. In an interview with DR, Frederiksen states that she still feels the shock of the incident. “I am not quite myself yet. I am fulfilling my duties as prime minister, but not in the same way as before. In the coming time, I will consider what kind of prime minister I should be in the future, especially in larger gatherings,” she says. On Friday, Mette Frederiksen was assaulted at Kultorvet in Copenhagen by a man who a doctor has assessed to be mentally unstable. The attack, where the prime minister was hit on the arm, resulted in the cancellation of her events on Saturday and her absence at the Social Democratic Party’s election party on Sunday. Frederiksen describes how the assault has affected her: “It is very intimidating when someone crosses the last physical boundary a person has. I have needed peace and time with my family.” Although the action does not seem politically motivated at first glance, the prime minister is convinced that it was her role that made her the target. “A democratic institution is our collective ownership. Whether you like the sitting prime minister or not, it is our democracy, and no one should be allowed to attack it,” she says. In light of the incident, Mette Frederiksen is now considering how she can best perform her duties as prime minister, possibly with more time in the office and fewer public appearances. At the same time, she highlights the threats and abuse she has received on social media, especially after the recent international conflicts, to which she had not previously reacted. It is clear that the assault has sparked considerations on how the prime minister can carry out her work in a safer manner in the future.

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