Format

TV 2 Denmark has announced the launch of The Political Assembly, the innovative political debate format that achieved major success in Belgium on VTM in 2024 under the title Het Conclaaf (“The Conclave”). The concept brings together leading national politicians in a reality-style environment for an intensive weekend featuring group discussions, one-on-one debates and personal reflections. The Danish version, titled Højskolen, premieres on March 4 and will include the leaders of all major parties, among them Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. The show will be hosted by prominent political journalist Natasja Crone.

Unlike traditional political talk shows, The Political Assembly moves beyond short soundbites and confrontational exchanges. The format is designed to encourage meaningful, in-depth dialogue, allowing politicians to engage without the influence of spin doctors. The result is a more thoughtful conversation that helps viewers understand not only policy positions, but also the values, motivations and reasoning behind them.

The format has already demonstrated strong impact. In Belgium, it became a central reference point in the political debate ahead of the national elections, achieving an average market share close to 50% among viewers aged 18–44. It also set new records on the streaming platform VTM GO, across all available content, including full episodes, individual debates and personal confession segments.

Dorthe Thirstrup, Program Director at TV 2 Denmark, commented: “We are very pleased to adapt Het Conclaaf for Danish audiences. At its best, TV 2 brings people together around content that is both relevant and engaging. There is nothing more important than enabling citizens to take part in the democratic conversation, and that is exactly what we aim to achieve with Højskolen.”

Annelies Noest of Be-Entertainment added: “We’re thrilled to collaborate with TV 2 and BBC Studios on this format. It is bold, meaningful and highly relevant. TV 2 embraced the concept from the very beginning and did an outstanding job securing the participation of the country’s political leaders. It’s the ideal home for a format that speaks directly to today’s polarized political climate.”

The Political Assembly was created and is produced by Bargoens, the company led by renowned TV producer Eric Goens. The format is distributed internationally by Be-Entertainment.