We have three core demands, backed by a broad coalition within Copenhagen's Palestine solidarity movement.
Many politicians are already putting Palestine on the agenda ahead of the municipal elections, so we urge all candidates who are serious about real support for Palestine to sign and commit to these demands.
By signing, candidates pledge to work toward the genuine implementation of these three
demands after the elections.
Divestment
Commit to ensuring that Copenhagen Municipality does not invest in companies complicit in the genocide and occupation of the Palestinian population.
Copenhagen Municipality currently holds investments of 1.2 billion in 34 companies that are complicit in Israel's ongoing genocide against Palestinians and in companies connected to Israeli settlements. These companies appear on the BDS movement's list of businesses that directly profit from the genocide, and several are cited in UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese's June 2025 report, which highlights companies directly involved.
By committing, the candidate pledges to work toward ensuring that Copenhagen Municipality does not invest in Israel's genocide, human rights violations or occupation policies.
This includes:
Divesting from all companies on the BDS list of priority targets for divestment
Divesting from all companies mentioned in UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese's report "From Economy of Occupation to Economy of Genocide"
Developing an investment policy that does not contribute to violations of international humanitarian law or human rights law in Palestine
Fight racism
Commit to actively combating anti-Muslim racism and discrimination against fellow residents from the Global South* in Copenhagen Municipality.
The ongoing human rights violations in Palestine could not occur without Western support or silent approval - and without the widespread anti-Muslim racism and discrimination that also affects fellow residents from the Global South in Copenhagen Municipality.
This racism and discrimination against these groups is a structural and systemic problem that Copenhagen Municipality must take active responsibility to address.
Actions should include:
Officially recognizing anti-Muslim racism, and racism targeting residents from the Global South, as a real and pressing problem.
Developing a municipal action plan to combat anti-Muslim racism and racism targeting residents from the Global South, which may include:
A targeted strategy to address structural discrimination against these groups in municipal workplaces and schools
Training for teachers, educators, social workers and other relevant professionals on the trauma experienced by these groups as a result of genocide, war, and colonization
Education in schools on the Nakba, racism, and anti-Muslim discrimination
*Global South: Countries and regions in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
Freedom of expression
Commit to protecting pro-Palestinian freedom of expression in Copenhagen Municipality.
There have been numerous attempts to suppress pro-Palestinian expression in Copenhagen Municipality. Candidates pledge to work toward protecting the freedom of expression for Palestine solidarity.
Actions should include:
Ensuring that cultural institutions and community centers can freely host events and fundraisers with pro-Palestinian purposes
Opposing bans or de facto bans on pro-Palestinian speech and symbols in Copenhagen Municipality, including protecting students' and employees' rights to express themselves and display pro-Palestinian symbols
Background
UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese's Report
In UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese's June 2025 report "From Economy of Occupation to Economy of Genocide", the economic mechanisms behind the genocide are documented. Albanese highlights companies directly complicit in Israel's genocide against the Palestinian people, including those linked to Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Examples include Maersk, Amazon, and Microsoft, all of which Copenhagen Municipality has investments in. The report demonstrates how these companies are involved in and essential to the ongoing genocide.
Albanese further emphasizes that Israel is illegally occupying designated Palestinian areas, that the administration of these areas enforces apartheid, and that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza — all facilitated by the business practices of these companies.
The BDS Movement
BDS is a Palestinian-led movement advocating for freedom, justice, and equality. Inspired by the South African anti-apartheid movement, it was created to pressure Israel to comply with international law. BDS stands for Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions.
Vote Palestine's demands are based on BDS's list of priority targets for divestment and institutional pressure. The companies on this list are proven to be complicit in Israel's human rights violations, apartheid, and genocide. Copenhagen Municipality holds investments in companies such as Nordea, Meta, and Siemens, all of which appear on the list.
Here you can find an overview of Copenhagen Municipality's investments in companies featured in UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese's report and on the BDS list.CEDA's report
In May 2025, the Center for Muslims' Rights in Denmark (CEDA) published a report documenting Islamophobic incidents in Denmark following Israel's invasion of Gaza in October 2023. The study shows that discrimination is not limited to isolated incidents but is a structural problem. Anti-Palestinian racism is intertwined with Islamophobia, and this has become even more apparent since October 7, 2023, when pro-Palestinian solidarity symbols increasingly triggered discrimination and hate speech in schools, workplaces, and public spaces.