Danish King Asks Center-Right Politician to Form Government After Prime Minister Falls Short

King Frederik X has asked a center-right politician to try to form Denmark's next government after Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen failed to build a coalition. The Danish king announced on Friday night that he was putting the chairman of the Liberal Party in charge of negotiations.

The royal household issued a statement that said the king requested the chairman to lead talks on a government that does not involve the participation of the Social Democrats and the Moderates. The development came after weeks in which Ms. Frederiksen struggled to assemble a coalition of leftist and moderate parties.

Her left-leaning Social Democrats won the most votes in parliamentary elections held in March. The party received 22 percent of the vote, its worst election performance in a century.

Denmark's political landscape has become increasingly fragmented. Smaller parties on the far right and far left have gained support in recent years. Even though leftist parties secured more seats than right-leaning ones, the left-wing coalition fell short of a majority.

Ms. Frederiksen has been one of the most dominant Danish political figures in decades. Most Danes give the prime minister high marks for blocking President Trump from acquiring Greenland. On domestic issues including tax policy, immigration and regulations on Denmark's large pig industry, Ms.

Frederiksen faced difficulties. She did not publicly comment on Friday evening. The prime minister's party won the most votes but could not convert that into a governing majority.