Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced last week that the new measure would affect any foreign national in Denmark regardless of their background and country of origin, stressing that the law was designed to combat violent acts such as aggravated assault charges and sexual abuse charges.

Denmark's Immigration and Integration Minister Rasmus Stoklund highlighted what this could mean in real numbers, explaining that 315 foreign criminals from outside the European Union had received such prison sentences of more than a year in Denmark in the past five years, adding however that none of them had been deported from the Nordic nation to date.

According to statistical data provided by the Danish Ministry of Migration, this corresponds to only about 70 percent of foreigners sentenced to such prison terms for serious crimes having been deported to date. 

Stoklund added during a news conference that many Danes "find that hard to understand."

The controversial bill is expected to be made law, taking effect on May 1, 2026.

Read AlsoEurope's asylum system is 'broken': Denmark's Stoklund

Frederiksen admits her approach is 'unconventional'

Prime Minister Frederiksen added that she understood that if fully introduced, the new law might be in conflict with existing European human rights conventions, referring to provisions and limitations under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). Frederiksen had previously expressed that her government was willing to go against ECHR standards in hopes of pushing the Council of Europe, which governs the ECHR, to reform some of its migration-related laws.

In an earlier speech at the beginning of the year, she had stated that instead of waiting for several years for legal changes to take place at the top level, Denmark was "taking the lead" in pushing for a different set of rules across the European Union.

Frederiksen acknowledged during a news conference on February 29 that she was aware of the fact that her government might be perceived as acting "unconventionally," emphasizing however that Denmark wanted to pivot its asylum and immigration policies towards proactively amending legislation rather than waiting for court rulings on deportation cases and changes in direction from higher bodies such as the Council of Europe.

Read AlsoEU announces rise in deportations, while Denmark signals it is prepared to overstep ECHR

"It is right and necessary for European countries to sit down at the table and declare that we would rather protect our own countries than criminals," she commented with regard to her course in migration policy, implying that, in her view, changes to the ECHR might be well overdue.

"When the human rights convention was drafted," Frederiksen explained, "no one could have imagined that anyone from the Middle East would flee to the best country in the world to rape girls and women."

"At the time, we did not think that the victims themselves would become perpetrators. And I can assure you that, unfortunately, many of them have become just that," she stressed.

The particular areas of European as well as international law of which the draft bill might be considered to be in breach of include conventions pertaining to the protection of privacy and the protection of family life, since the law would only apply to those who have committed such crimes but would not extend to their family members in Denmark.

The UK, which since 2020 is no longer a member of the European Union, has also voiced support for at least a reinterpretation of -- if not changes to -- ECHR laws dealing with immigration, whether directly or indirectly; more countries have since expressed their agreement to changes being applied to the ECHR.

Read AlsoUK and Danish leaders call for reinterpretation of ECHR

Denmark to work more closely on deportation with Syria, Afghanistan

As part of the slated changes to Danish law, the government plans also to further tighten controls on immigrants without legal residence papers; on Danish soil this would include the fitting of ankle monitors on criminal foreigners.

Denmark also plans to reopen its embassy in Syria and intends to strengthen its cooperation with Afghan authorities with a view to boost deportation numbers to both countries.

Overall, Denmark has announced major changes to its asylum laws which would alter the understanding of what protection means, with various draft bills suggesting that asylum and other forms of protection will in future be only of temporary nature and that in most instances, asylum seekers will be sent back to their country of origin once the legal basis for their protection expires — for example, if a civil war ends or the persecution of a minority is halted.

Read AlsoDanish Foreign Minister visits Syria to discuss returns

European Union at a crossroads

Denmark's push to singlehandedly change legislation in defiance of EU-wide standards comes after the European Union agreed in principle in December to overhaul its immigration and asylum system, including the prospect of setting higher standards for foreign nationals to qualify for protection in the first place.

Another centerpiece of new legislation to be discussed by the bloc is the establishment of return hubs in third countries; some governments -- including Germany -- have lately been pushing for this legislative change to begin to take hold before the end of the year.

With a steady growth in support of far-right parties across Europe, even more centrist governments are feeling pressure to introduce further limitations on immigration in a bid to hold onto power, including in Denmark.

Danes will be going to the polls later in the year, with Prime Minister Frederiksen's Social Democrats recently dipping in polls.

Read AlsoEU states press Commission to fund 'return hubs' outside the bloc

with AP, AFP