Rosenkrantz-Theil’s sole candidacy to become mayor in Copenhagen was confirmed by the Social Democrats after the deadline for application passed on Wednesday.

That makes the former minister a near-certainty to be officially announced as the candidate on Wednesday following a party meeting in Copenhagen, newswire Ritzau writes.

Interim mayor Lars Weiss has said he will continue in the post until the local elections but will not run in them, according to media reports.

Copenhagen’s previous mayor, Sophie Hæstorp Andersen was last month appointed as the new Minister of Social Affairs and Housing, a position she took over from  Rosenkrantz-Theil.

After some observers have criticised the move, Rosenkrantz-Theil said there was no guarantee she would be chosen by the Social Democrats as their lead candidate for Lord Mayor in the forthcoming local elections, which will take place across the country in November 2025.

The Social Democrats suffered significant losses under Hæstorp Andersen in the 2021 local elections, but she was still able to secure the mayoral position.

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The former mayor suffered a damaging a political defeat when the Social Democrats were unusually left out of the 2023 annual budget after the left-wing party Red Green Alliance made a deal with the conservative parties.

The Red Green Alliance became the largest party in the Copenhagen city government in the 2021 election. Rosenkrantz-Theil, who was once a member of that party before switching to the Social Democrats, is seen as a strong candidate for the 2025 election.

During the recent government reshuffle, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen acknowledged the challenges faced by the Social Democrats in urban areas.

“There is no doubt that the Social Democrats are challenged in the cities. We have many mayoral posts. We will do everything we can to keep them after the next municipal elections,” she said.