Danish welfare state voted most valued national trait in public poll

The welfare state is the most cherished aspect of Danish society, according to a public vote conducted by national broadcaster DR ahead of Constitution Day.

In an online poll asking “What is the best thing about Denmark?”, the welfare system received the highest number of votes, followed by democracy, peace, and women’s right to bodily autonomy. The results reflect responses from DR’s regional radio listeners and website users, with 65 shortlisted categories drawn from hundreds of submissions.

Julia Lahme, an ethnologist and trend researcher, noted that the welfare state’s top ranking signals broad consensus across political divides. “It’s no longer a question of if we should have a welfare state—it’s simply the foundation of how we operate,” she said. “Whether you lean left or right, dismantling it is unthinkable.”

The poll’s second-place result—democracy—surprised Lahme, given its long-standing status as an assumed norm. “For decades, we’ve taken it for granted,” she said. “But global challenges to democratic processes have made us newly aware of how privileged we are to maintain it.”

Peace ranked fourth, a choice Lahme attributed to recent geopolitical instability. “Many of us grew up in an era where Europe resolved conflicts diplomatically,” she said. “Realizing that peace isn’t universal has been a shock.”

Women’s right to bodily autonomy, including abortion access and ongoing debates like consent laws and menopause healthcare, also featured prominently. Lahme highlighted recent state funding—160 million kroner over four years—for women’s health research as evidence of its growing priority.

Low corruption, another top vote-getter, was described by Lahme as a cornerstone of Danish identity. “When we travel and see how corruption shapes opportunities elsewhere, it reinforces our self-image,” she said. A respondent from Næstved echoed this, writing: “It’s our trust in each other. There’s no corruption—we rely on one another.”

The poll also underscored Denmark’s labor market model, where wages and working conditions are negotiated directly between employers and unions without government intervention.