“Borgen” returns after a decade to a pessimistic Europe
A new season of the beloved Danish political series has a darker tone
THE DANISH TV series “Borgen” introduced Europe’s madly intricate coalition politics to viewers in simpler lands such as America and Britain. The show’s first three seasons, which aired in 2010-13, followed Birgitte Nyborg (played by Sidse Babett Knudsen), leader of the fictional Moderates, as she became Denmark’s first female prime minister, then resigned and founded a new party. Striking compromises and pursuing liberal values, Nyborg was a heroine for her time. American Democrats wishing for Danish-style health care (or at least hygge and cardamom buns) fell in love. Soon Denmark had a real female prime minister, Helle Thorning-Schmidt.
This article appeared in the Europe section of the print edition under the headline “Back to “Borgen””
Europe May 14th 2022
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- A new alliance boosts the left ahead of France’s parliamentary elections
- “Borgen” returns after a decade to a pessimistic Europe
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