Now that the prime minister has secured the nomination to become Nato's secretary general the transition of power in Copenhagen can get underway in earnest. What will happen in the coming days? 

With Anders Fogh Rasmussen on his way to Brussels to head Nato, a new prime minister is to be chosen. The clear favourite is Finance Lars Løkke Rasmussen, but there are no guarantees.

1. Will the prime minister step down immediately? He will probably wait until Monday to announce his decision. He has announced he will skip a planned EU-US summit on Sunday in order to attend to the handover in Denmark.

2. Could he stay as PM if he so chose? In principle, he can stay until he assumes the position of secretary general on 1 August. That however, is completely improbable. He is finished as a politician in Denmark once he has announced his departure. Furthermore, it is important for Lars Løkke Rassmussen to quickly assume power in order to shore up the government’s and especially his Liberal Party’s reputation.

3. How will the PM announce his departure? Under normal situations, Rasmussen would probably have announced his departure to parliament, but parliament is on Easter holiday from Friday afternoon, so he will probably have to do it a press conference.

4. Does the queen need to be informed before a new prime minister is officially named? No. She doesn’t need to be told first, but the prime minister is scheduled to meet with her on Sunday. General etiquette dictates that the royal family stay informed and up-to-date.

5. How does Lars Løkke Rasmussen play into the picture? When the prime minister officially announces his departure, he will also say there is an agreement between his Liberal Party, the Conservatives (the government’s junior partner) and the Danish People’s Party (a key ally of the the minority government) about his replacement. Finance Minister Løkke Rasmussen, the Liberal Party deputy leader, is expected to become prime minister.

6. Shouldn't Deputy Prime Minister Lene Espersen step in as prime minister? Nothing prevents Espersen (or anyone else) from being chosen to replace Fogh Rasmussen, but the title deputy prime minister does not mean she is entitled to the position. In the Danish parliamentary system, the PM is chosen by parties making up the government. The Liberals are the parliament's largest party and form a minority coalition government with the Conservatives. 

7. Will there be an election? The opposition demands it, but it will be rejected by the governing parties and the Danish People’s Party. Nothing in the constitution demands an election if a prime minister resigns. As the polls look now, it would be suicide for the government to call an election. Local elections this autumn could give the opposition enough momentum to force an early election.

8. Will the cabinet be reshuffled? There will definitely be a cabinet reshuffling. Løkke Rasmussen is currently finance minister, and Welfare Minister Karen Jespersen resigned on Friday. One possibility is a minor shake up to fill in the gaps now and then a complete overhaul this autumn.

9. Who will become finance minister? Could Løkke continue as FM and PM? There is no way of knowing who will become FM. Løkke can have both posts for a couple of days and in principal, even longer. However, that is improbable.

10. What will happen within the Liberal Party? Løkke Rasmussen will become the Liberal’s new leader, but must be approved by the party's members. Tax Minister Kristian Jensen leads the field of candidates to move up as the party’s number two.