Controversy in Denmark: the Government plans to eliminate a public holiday to increase defense spending

Thousands of Danes filled the area around Parliament in Copenhagen on Sunday to protest their government’s plans to scrap a public holiday to increase defense spending in the wake of the war in Ukraine, a measure that has raised the entire opposition, the trade unions, the Lutheran Church and a good part of the population. The plan is part of the government pact presented two months ago by the Executive of the Social Democrat Mette Frederiksen, which also includes the Liberals and a new center party. She wants the Danish State to collect 3,200 million crowns (430 million euros) to help bring forward to 2030 the commitment with NATO to allocate 2% of GDP to defense.

“I hope that the Government listens, sees this and finds that this is a popular issue and an action you should not takeLizette Risgaard, general secretary of the Confederation of Danish Trade Unions, which brings together 79 trade union organizations and 1.4 million workers, in a country with a population of about 5.7 million, said today in reference to the protest. , who have collected more than 460,000 signatures against the elimination in an initiative on the Internet, have described the measure as a “direct attack” on the Danish model, which is based on the fact that labor market actors negotiate agreements without government intervention. Government.

The Danish Executive has also pressured the other nine parties with parliamentary representation to support the reform if they want to be part of the negotiations for the next defense agreement, which has provoked the unanimous protest of a heterogeneous opposition, which includes everything from three xenophobic forces to environmentalists, social liberals and socialists. In response to the government plan, they have presented a proposal for alternative financing and eight of the opposition forces have asked that the measure be postponed until the next legislative elections, although the idea of ​​the unions to call a referendum on the issue has generated more doubts.

The Danish Constitution allows a referendum to be called on a law if a third of the House supports it, but so far, only the red and green Unitary List and two xenophobic forces are in favor, totaling less than 11% of the seats. A group of economists, including two former members of the government advisory group, have questioned the real effect of the plan and considered the opposition proposal, which is partially based on a prioritization of public spending, more viable. The choice of the holiday, the so-called Great Day of Prayer, a Protestant holiday that is celebrated on the fourth Friday after Easter, has also clashed head-on with the National Lutheran Church.

Both the Danish bishops and various religious organizations accuse the Executive of “marking break” with tradition, while the social democratic and liberal youth have also demonstrated against the plan. Nor does it seem that the idea has been well received by the population: 62% are against it compared to 27% in favor, according to a recent survey, while another survey suggests that the Executive would fall by 11.9% and would lose the majority absolute tight that elections have to be held now. The Politiken newspaper, the most prestigious in the country and considered center-left, has described the plan as an “incomprehensible own goal” and “an unreliable political-moral connection.”

But the criticisms do not appear to have affected the government, which remains firm in its plan and intends to urgently approve the new law at the end of this month. “I don’t think it’s problematic that we have to work one more day,” said Frederiksen, demanding “honesty” in the political discussion, because there is not enough money to finance the “big spending” on defense and security caused by the war, according to her. of Ukraine or for the green transition or health reform. The idea of ​​a referendum has also been rejected by Frederiksen, who did not want to reissue the minority Executive supported by the center-left with which he governed the last legislature to bet instead on an almost unprecedented model in Denmark in which he has allied with its historical rival, the Liberal Party.