He may look like a young elementary school teacher spoofed by a practical joke by his pupils. But Social Democrat Frank Jensen (A) is in fact 48 years old and as of this week's paradoxical municipal elections the de facto lord mayor of the city of Copenhagen. So maybe the difference is not that big. Of course the City Hall is not a school, but maybe more of a political shop where anything can be traded.You see, in Copenhagen we have the luxury of not only one Mayor - but seven of them. No, one is never enough in Copenhagen. That goes for beer as it goes for mayors. One for each of the ares: Economy, Culture & Leisure, Children & Youth, Health & Caretaking, Social Areas, Technique & Environment, and for Employment & Integration. Each mayor with his/her own little kingdom. So apart from the fact that the Social Democrats through votes usually occupy several of the mayor positions - you often find a situation in Copenhagen local government where you'll find seven different parties with their own kingdoms. A bit like Italy before the unification. So co-operation across areas is a challenge - to say the least. Perhaps this is why Frank Jensen is spoofed?
PN was there to cover the municipal elections at Copenhagen City Hall. And early learned that The Danish People's Party (O) was heading for a position as Mayor of Employment & Integration. Which is not exactly the cup of tea for neither the Social Democrats (A) nor the Social-Liberals (B). But in the municipal trade-offs anything can be negotiated. This way, during the constitution negotiations the night after the local elections, Klaus Bondam from the Social-Liberals had to eat his own words of keeping The Danish People's Party out of reach of influence, and traded a position as Mayor of Technique & Environment for chairman posts to the people's party in four different committees. This not only spoofed Frank Jensen as much as it spoofed Klaus Bondam's own Social-Liberal party members, members of the press - and most of the population.