Denmark considers banning nationwide Muslim call to prayer

According to local media reports, the Danish government is weighing a nationwide ban on the public broadcast of the Islamic call to prayer, the Adhan.

Immigration Minister Morten Bodskov stated that the government would reopen an inquiry into the legal permissibility of such a prohibition under Danish law.

In an interview with the Danish news agency Ritzau, Bodskov said the public call to prayer should not be broadcast nationwide. He added that the government was concerned about the growing visibility of Islam in public spaces.

“The call to prayer should not be heard over Danish rooftops,” Bodskov was quoted as saying.

“It has no place in Denmark, and you shouldn’t be in any doubt whether you’ve ended up in a suburb of Islamabad when you walk around Denmark.”

This proposal represents the third time Danish authorities have sought to establish a legal framework to restrict the public broadcast of the Adhan, following similar attempts in 2020 and 2025.

The Adhan is a traditional Islamic call that summons Muslims to prayer, typically broadcast five times a day from mosque minarets via loudspeakers.

Although some Danish municipalities already regulate amplified calls to prayer under local noise restrictions, the government is now considering a nationwide ban.

In Copenhagen, the Grand Mosque operates under an agreement with local authorities that does not permit outdoor loudspeaker broadcasts of the call to prayer.

Legal experts have noted that any nationwide restriction could face constitutional scrutiny, as Denmark’s constitution guarantees freedom of religion and the right to public worship.

Government investigators are expected to assess whether such a measure would be compatible with existing constitutional protections while addressing concerns raised by some residents living near mosques.

The proposal comes as Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen begins her third term in office following a snap election in March.

Frederiksen’s government has drawn attention for its restrictive immigration policies, including measures aimed at reducing migration and regulating asylum procedures.

Among the policies implemented in recent years is legislation allowing authorities to relocate migrants from neighbourhoods identified as having high concentrations of foreign‑born residents.

Denmark has also maintained strict asylum regulations, including rules requiring some asylum seekers to contribute toward accommodation costs through personal assets.

During the 2015 European refugee crisis, Denmark accepted fewer asylum seekers than several neighbouring countries.

Although Frederiksen’s Social Democrats did not secure an outright majority in the March election, she remained in office after forming a coalition government with the Moderates, Social Liberals and Green Left parties. The administration also relies on parliamentary support from the Red‑Green Alliance.

Frederiksen called the snap election amid heightened geopolitical attention on Greenland, the autonomous Danish territory, following comments by U.S. President Donald Trump regarding the Arctic island.