Political veteran Pia Kjærsgaard captured the highest number of personal votes in Denmark's regional elections. The 78-year-old Danish People's Party politician received 98,836 personal votes in the Region Østdanmark contest. This new super-region merges Region Sjælland and Region Hovedstaden. It will become Denmark's largest administrative area with approximately 2.8 million residents. That represents nearly half of Denmark's total population.
Kjærsgaard's personal vote count dramatically outpaced her closest competitor. Regional council chairman Lars Gaardhøj from the Social Democrats received just 25,062 personal votes. This means Kjærsgaard attracted nearly four times more support than the region's current leader. The vote demonstrates her enduring personal popularity despite her party's exclusion from the new regional governing coalition.
Kjærsgaard has served in Parliament since 1984 and previously led the Danish People's Party for many years. She plans to leave national politics after the next general election scheduled for October. Her strong regional performance contrasts with her impending national departure. This creates an interesting dynamic for her political farewell tour.
The Danish People's Party failed to secure a place in Region Østdanmark's governing agreement. The coalition instead includes Social Democrats, Conservatives, Venstre, Red-Green Alliance, Social Liberals, and Moderates. This exclusion from power makes Kjærsgaard's personal victory particularly noteworthy. It suggests voters distinguish between individual politicians and their parties.
Other regions also saw Danish People's Party politicians performing well personally. In Region Syddanmark, Parliament member Peter Kofod received 27,899 personal votes. He outpaced regional council chairman Bo Libergren from Venstre, who attracted 24,578 votes. This pattern repeated across multiple regions with varying results.
Region Midtjylland saw outgoing regional council chairman Anders Kühnau from the Social Democrats secure the most personal votes at 38,091. Yet Venstre's Anders G. Christensen became the new regional chairman despite receiving only 14,876 personal votes. This highlights how Denmark's political system sometimes separates personal popularity from leadership positions.
In Region Nordjylland, regional council chairman Mads Duedahl from Venstre received 35,683 personal votes. This more than doubled the support for his nearest competitor, Social Democrat Arne Boelt, who attracted 17,470 votes. The regional elections reveal complex voter behavior across Denmark's political landscape.
Danish regional elections allow voters to select specific candidates rather than just parties. This system creates opportunities for well-known politicians to build personal support bases. Kjærsgaard's result shows how established figures can transcend their party's current political fortunes. The outcome also demonstrates regional variations in Danish voting patterns that don't always align with national trends.