The Council of Europe’s latest report on Denmark exposes a gap between the country’s commitment to combating racism and the protection experienced by Muslim communities. The challenge now is to turn international recommendations into meaningful political action.
A warning Denmark cannot afford to ignore
Denmark has long presented itself as a democratic society committed to equality, human rights and the rule of law. Yet its treatment of minorities has increasingly attracted international scrutiny. The latest report from the Council of Europe’s European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), published on 22 October 2026, raises important questions about whether Denmark is doing enough to combat racism and protect those affected by it.
The report acknowledges progress, including Denmark’s adoption of its first National Action Plan against Racism in February 2025. Nevertheless, ECRI identifies significant shortcomings in the country’s response to racist hate speech, discrimination and hate crime. Its findings concerning anti-Muslim racism deserve particular attention.
The central message is clear: a general commitment to equality is not sufficient when specific forms of racism remain inadequately addressed. Denmark must translate its stated principles into effective protection for everyone, regardless of religion or ethnic background.
Anti-Muslim racism: the missing priority
One of ECRI’s most significant criticisms concerns Denmark’s National Action Plan against Racism. Although the plan represents progress, it does not explicitly address anti-Muslim racism through a dedicated programme.
The Danish authorities have argued that the plan is intended to cover all forms of racism. ECRI, however, considers anti-Muslim racism one of the most pressing areas of concern and calls for a specific programme to combat it, addressing both hate speech and hate crime.
This is more than a question of terminology. When a form of discrimination is not explicitly recognised in policy, it can become harder to establish clear responsibilities, allocate resources, measure progress and ensure that affected communities receive appropriate protection.
ECRI also highlights the normalisation of hostile rhetoric in political debate and online spaces. Migrants and people with migration backgrounds are frequently portrayed through generalisations involving crime, unemployment, gender equality or supposedly incompatible cultural values. Such narratives can reinforce prejudice against Muslims and other minorities.
Legitimate debate about immigration, religion or integration is an essential part of democratic life. But criticism of policies or beliefs must not become hostility towards entire communities. Political leaders have a particular responsibility to maintain this distinction.
From legal protection to protection in practice
Denmark has laws addressing hate speech and hate-motivated crime. Yet ECRI questions whether these provisions are being applied effectively and consistently.
The report refers to a review of 1,418 cases under section 266b of the Danish Criminal Code, which addresses certain forms of hate speech. According to the figures cited, 72 per cent of these cases were dismissed before reaching court, with approximately half of the dismissals occurring at the police stage.
These figures concern the cases examined in that review, not exclusively cases involving anti-Muslim racism. Nevertheless, they raise important questions about how complaints are assessed, investigated and prosecuted.
A legal prohibition has limited value if victims lack confidence that their complaints will be taken seriously. ECRI therefore calls for improvements in the application of the law, professional training and the recording and handling of hate crimes.
The report also raises concerns about possible racial profiling and discriminatory police conduct, the stigmatising effects of the “non-Western” category in Danish legislation and policy, and discrimination affecting access to housing, employment and public services.
In education, ECRI finds that schools and teachers are insufficiently prepared to address racism and controversial discussions, while racist bullying remains a concern. It calls for better monitoring and a national system to track racist and anti-LGBTI bullying in schools.
These findings demonstrate that combating racism requires more than condemning offensive language. It also requires institutions capable of identifying discrimination, protecting victims and correcting practices that produce unequal treatment.
Political leadership and public responsibility
ECRI calls on senior officials and politicians across the political spectrum to distance themselves publicly and promptly from racist and xenophobic hate speech. It also recommends appropriate codes of conduct for political representatives.
Such expectations do not require politicians to abandon legitimate disagreements over immigration, integration or religion. They require them to recognise that public office carries responsibilities. When entire communities are repeatedly associated with criminality, disloyalty or social problems, public debate can reinforce the exclusion that anti-racism policies are intended to prevent.
The media also have an important role. ECRI identifies stigmatising and misleading narratives in public debate, including media discourse. Journalists and editors should therefore distinguish individual conduct from collective identity, scrutinise unsupported generalisations and ensure that minority communities are represented fairly.
Muslims should not appear in public debate only as subjects of controversy. They are citizens, colleagues, professionals, parents and participants in Danish society, with the same right to dignity and equal treatment as everyone else.
The recommendations—and the 18-month challenge
ECRI’s report contains 15 recommendations, two of which are designated for priority implementation within 18 months of publication.
The first calls for a specific programme to combat anti-Muslim racism. The second concerns the establishment of a national monitoring system for racist and anti-LGBTI bullying in schools.
These priorities create a clear opportunity for action. The Danish government should consult Muslim communities, civil-society organisations and the Danish Institute for Human Rights in developing the anti-Muslim racism programme.
A credible programme should include clear objectives, adequate funding, designated institutional responsibilities and measurable indicators. It should address political and online hate speech, hate-crime reporting, law enforcement, education and discrimination in everyday life. Progress should be assessed publicly, rather than left to general declarations of goodwill.
The 18-month period runs from the report’s publication on 22 October 2026, placing the approximate implementation deadline in April 2028.
This is not simply an administrative timetable. It is an opportunity to demonstrate that international human-rights recommendations can produce tangible improvements in people’s lives.
What should Muslim communities do?
Although the primary responsibility rests with the state, Muslim communities and their partners can help ensure that ECRI’s findings lead to action.
First, Muslim organisations should build a representative platform bringing together mosques, civil-society groups, women, young people, professionals and citizens with different backgrounds. A shared set of demands would give their advocacy greater coherence while respecting the diversity within Muslim communities.
Second, they should establish a strong evidence base. Carefully documented incidents of hate speech, threats, bullying and discrimination—combined with reliable information about how complaints are handled—can help identify patterns and expose gaps in protection. Personal testimony is important, but systematic evidence makes it easier to demand measurable institutional responses.
Third, organisations should engage politicians across the political spectrum and ask specific questions: Will they support a funded action programme? Will they commit to annual progress reports? Will their parties adopt effective codes of conduct against racist hate speech? Will they support better investigation of hate crimes?
Finally, Muslim organisations should work with Jewish organisations combating antisemitism, Black and other minority communities, trade unions, educators and human-rights groups. Such cooperation must respect the particular experiences of each community. Protecting Muslims from racism is not in competition with combating antisemitism or any other form of hatred.
From recommendations to equal citizenship
ECRI’s report provides Denmark with an opportunity to strengthen its response to racism and demonstrate that its commitment to human rights applies to everyone.
The crucial question is no longer whether anti-Muslim racism deserves attention. The question is how Denmark will prevent it, protect those affected and ensure accountability when the law is breached.
Muslim communities should not have to earn equal rights by demonstrating their economic contribution, cultural compatibility or political usefulness. Equal rights are not rewards granted by a majority; they are fundamental principles of democratic society.
The Danish government now has a clear opportunity to act on ECRI’s recommendations. Muslim organisations and their allies can help by presenting evidence, proposing practical measures and monitoring implementation. But responsibility for delivering effective protection ultimately belongs to the state.
A country’s commitment to equality is tested not only by the rights it proclaims, but by the protection it provides when those rights are challenged.
Denmark’s response to ECRI’s findings will therefore matter beyond its borders. It will help demonstrate whether Europe’s commitment to combating racism extends equally to Muslims—and whether international human-rights standards can make a meaningful difference to the people they are intended to protect.
