A broad majority in the Danish Parliament (Folketinget) has approved a pay raise for future politicians, sparking criticism from several opposition parties. The Red-Green Alliance (Enhedslisten), the Danish People’s Party (Dansk Folkeparti), and the Denmark Democrats (Danmarksdemokraterne) have voiced strong objections to the decision, labeling it the “wrong signal” to send to the Danish people.

The approved salary increase will raise the annual pay for members of parliament from 948,000 kroner to 1.08 million kroner. Despite the salary increase, the reform also includes reductions in pension terms and severance periods, which the Parliament claims will result in overall savings of 90 million kroner per year once fully implemented by 2090, representing a 20 percent reduction in current costs.

Peter Skaarup, group chairman for the Denmark Democrats, argued that “the time is not right for politicians to have higher salaries,” citing high grocery prices as a concern. The Danish People’s Party echoed these concerns about rising food costs, while the Red-Green Alliance emphasized that average wage earners are struggling to keep pace with inflation.

Pelle Dragsted, political spokesperson for the Red-Green Alliance, criticized the logic of increasing salaries while simultaneously abolishing unreasonable privileges. He suggested that instead of offering a “consolation prize” in the form of higher pay, unreasonable privileges should simply be eliminated. Dragsted also questioned the appropriateness of politicians legislating their own salaries, suggesting an independent body should determine compensation based on common principles. He highlighted that members of his party only retain a portion of their parliamentary salary equivalent to the average salary for a Danish Metal member in Copenhagen (437,354 kroner in 2022/23), with the remainder going to party funds.

Morten Messerschmidt, chairman of the Danish People’s Party, expressed concern about the impact of the pay raise on public trust and the perception that politicians are motivated by self-interest rather than the good of Denmark. He stated that the current salary level is appropriate and that a reduction in parliamentary salaries would also have been a viable option.