The new Danish government intends to accelerate defense investments after the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, reports the BBC.
By ThePoint.fr
© CORTIER DANN / Belpress.com / Belpress
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Lhe new Danish coalition government is about to abolish a public holiday to increase defense spending. According to the BBC, Thursday, December 15, this is one of the first measures adopted by the coalition between the parties of center left and center right. The centre-left Social Democratic Party, the centre-right Liberal Party and the centrist Moderate Party are all part of the new government. The outgoing Social Democratic Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, thus remained in office and presented the main lines of the new executive, which notably wants to accelerate investment in defense after the invasion of Ukraine and reduce emissions more quickly. CO2 Denmark, with carbon neutrality from 2045.
The question of defense has been at the heart of Danish political debate since the invasion of Ukraine by Russia at the beginning of 2022. The Scandinavian country of 5.9 million inhabitants now plans to reach the NATO’s objective of 2% of GDP devoted to defence, instead of 2033. To finance this measure, Mette Frederiksen announced that the government would therefore abolish one of the 11 Danish public holidays in the hope of stimulating the productivity and economic activity.
The disgruntled religious community
The public holiday targeted by this announcement should be Store Bededag, the “high day of prayer” (following the fourth weekend after Easter) and which was introduced as a public holiday in 1686. The measure has drawn some criticism, with start with those of the Danish religious community. The president of the clergy association, Pernille Vigso Bagge, told the Danish newspaper Berlingske that she was “saddened” by the prospect of losing the day, and added that its deletion left priests “in a logistical nightmare”, with Store Bededag traditionally being a great confirmation day.
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Business leaders are also worried. This holiday is an important source of income for them with stores that remain open all day to accommodate many customers. Asked about her decision to remove the Store Bededag, Mette Frederiksen insisted on the international situation at the gates of the Old Continent. “There is war in Europe, and we must strengthen our defenses,” she said, quoted by the British channel.
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