Denmark is facing accusations of racial discrimination at the European Court of Justice (ECJ) for its controversial policy of demolishing minority-heavy neighbourhoods in the name of integration. The country’s 2018 ‘ghetto package’ aimed to overhaul specified residential areas by tearing down social housing units to disperse residents. While Denmark has been relatively successful in integrating migrants from non-Western countries, the 2018 plan sparked backlash.
The ECJ case centers around Denmark’s use of the term “ethnic origin” to classify ghetto neighbourhoods, specifically those with a majority of residents from non-Western backgrounds. Residents of Mjolnerparken in Copenhagen filed a case in 2020 after facing eviction, claiming they felt stigmatised by the policies. The Danish court sought an ECJ hearing in 2023 to determine if the term “ethnic origin” includes those with “non-Western” backgrounds and if this classification is discriminatory.
While the Danish ministry of social affairs declined to comment on the ongoing case, the ECJ’s ruling will ultimately influence the Danish court’s decision on how to proceed with the policy.
