BORGEN

Borgen (literally "the castle") is the shorthand name given to Christiansborg Slot, the building in central Copenhagen that houses the Danish Parliament, Supreme Court and Prime Minister's office. There's been a building on the site since the 1100's, but structures have burned down and been rebuilt several times. The current building dates from the early twentieth century.

Borgen is also the name of a Danish television series that has enjoyed great success, both here and abroad (my wife has just been on an exchange programme with her school in Belgium, and says that they talk of nothing else). It's about a woman, who becomes Prime Minister, and about the intrigues and political difficulties that she faces, and the pressures that are made on her private life. A lot of the issues are very topical in Danish politics.

Tonight was the tenth and last episode in the third series, which apparently will be the last. For readers outside of Denmark who have had to be satisfied with the first two series, I will not reveal what happens in the end. But it goes out on a high note.

Walter Blotscher