Nordic Countries in January 2026: the most important developments in society
In January 2026, society news in the Nordic countries was dominated by public reaction to President Donald Trump's interest in acquiring Greenland. On 17 January thousands of people protested in Copenhagen and Nuuk under slogans such as "Hands off Greenland", with organizers describing the rallies as opposition to any annexation. Greenlanders and allies also voiced defiance during the month, and on 22 January Greenlanders reacted to Trump's announced framework for the island. Arctic scientists in Greenland said they felt uncomfortable.
Nobel matters drew attention in Norway. After reports that Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado had given her Nobel Peace Prize medal to Trump, the Nobel Foundation said a medal cannot be symbolically passed on, and Norwegian politicians criticized the gesture.
Other items included Denmark's plan, announced on 2 January, for stricter expulsion of foreign nationals convicted of serious crimes, and winter weather, with snow and rising waters expected across Denmark and red warnings issued for northern Sweden. Norway recorded its hottest year on record in 2025.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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