COPENHAGEN, May 13, 2026
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has drawn sharp criticism after saying at a conference in Copenhagen that she would prefer children smoke rather than use social media without supervision.
Controversial Remarks
During a conference in the Danish capital, Frederiksen made a provocative statement that quickly went viral. According to the news agency Ritzau, she said: *"Wäre ich nicht geschäftsführende Regierungschefin und hätte heute kleine Kinder, wäre mir lieber, dass sie rauchen, als ihnen zu erlauben, alleine in den sozialen Medien unterwegs zu sein."* ("If I were not acting prime minister and had small children today, I would rather they smoke than allow them to be on social media alone.")
The remark was immediately met with backlash, particularly from experts in tobacco prevention, who called it a dangerous comparison. Frederiksen later clarified her stance on Facebook, writing: *"Natürlich sollten Kinder und Jugendliche nicht mit dem Rauchen anfangen"* ("Of course, children and teenagers should not start smoking").