New Delhi: Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi condemned the attack on Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and expressed deep concern. Taking to X, Modi said, “Deeply concerned by the news of the attack on Mette Frederiksen, Denmark's Prime Minister. We condemn the attack. Wishing good health to my friend.”

Frederiksen suffered a minor whiplash after a man assaulted her in central Copenhagen. She was rushed to a hospital following the assault, reports from Copenhagen said. Frederiksen, 46, has been prime minister of Denmark since 2019.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen called the assault a "despicable act". "I condemn this despicable act which goes against everything we believe and fight for in Europe," she said.

Politicians in the Scandinavian country and abroad condemned the reported assault.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said that “an attack on a democratically elected leader is also an attack on our democracy,” while Charles Michel, president of the European Council, condemned on X what he called a “cowardly act of aggression.”

European Union parliamentary elections are currently underway in Denmark and the rest of the 27-nation bloc and will conclude on Sunday.

Frederiksen has been campaigning with the Social Democrats’ EU lead candidate, Christel Schaldemose. Media reports said the attack was not linked to a campaign event.

Violence against politicians has become a theme in the run-up to the EU elections. In May, a candidate from Germany’s center-left Social Democrats was beaten and seriously injured while campaigning for a seat in the European Parliament.