The Red-Green Alliance (Enhedslisten) has voiced strong opposition to the Danish government’s support for significantly increasing defense spending, aligning with a NATO proposal driven by demands from the United States. The party argues that Denmark should prioritize its own needs and interests rather than adhering to external dictates from figures like former US President Donald Trump.

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s government announced its backing of a plan that would see each NATO country spend 3.5 percent of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on defense and an additional 1.5 percent on other security-related challenges in the future. This commitment has drawn criticism from the Red-Green Alliance, who believe that such a substantial increase is unwarranted.

Pelle Dragsted, political spokesperson for the Red-Green Alliance, stated that Denmark should reject what he perceives as Trump’s demands and instead focus on an approach guided by the country’s specific needs and interests. Dragsted questioned the rationale of setting defense spending as a percentage of GDP, arguing that other crucial areas like climate, health, and education are not approached in the same way.

The proposal to allocate 3.5 percent of GDP to defense is part of a compromise put forward by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, ahead of a NATO summit in The Hague later this month. This proposal is an attempt to meet demands that NATO countries should aim to spend five percent of their GDP on defense, a target that has proven difficult for many European nations, and possibly even the United States, to accept.

While the Red-Green Alliance supports Denmark maintaining a strong territorial defense to protect itself and its allies, they emphasize that other societal priorities, such as welfare, green transition, and ensuring people can retire before becoming ill, are equally important. The party believes there should be limits to the amount of resources allocated to defense, particularly when other pressing needs require attention.