Denmark's Supreme Court Hears Case Over Housing Discrimination

Seven families from Helsingor are set to argue in Denmark’s Supreme Court that they were evicted from their homes due to their or their parents’ country of origin. The case centers on a 2018 law that led to the termination of their leases in 2022.

The law, previously known as the 'ghetto law', targets social housing estates where more than half of residents are classified as 'non-Western'. The government claims the law promotes integration, but rights groups argue it is discriminatory.

The 'non-Western' label includes most countries outside the EU, with exceptions like Australia, Canada, and the US. It also covers descendants of non-Western immigrants, meaning a Danish citizen born in Copenhagen could still be classified as 'non-Western'.

Under the law, areas with over 50% 'non-Western' residents and meeting two of four criteria on unemployment, crime, education, or income are labeled 'parallel societies'. These areas must reduce public family housing to 40% by 2030 through sales, demolition, or conversion.

The Danish government introduced the law as part of a plan to eliminate 'parallel societies' by 2030. Officials argue that high concentrations of non-Western residents increase the risk of cultural and religious segregation. However, tenants’ associations say about 11,000 people across Denmark will be forced to leave their homes by 2030.

The European Court of Justice ruled in 2025 that the 'non-Western' label could be linked to ethnicity, contradicting the Danish government’s stance. Danish judges must now determine if the label results in discriminatory treatment, including early lease termination for affected residents.