A new motion for an independent privacy commission is gaining traction in the Danish Parliament (Folketinget), with support from nearly all opposition parties. The Liberal Alliance and The Alternative introduced the motion, aiming to address concerns about surveillance and data processing in Denmark.

The proposed commission would serve two primary purposes: to investigate the extent of surveillance, data processing, and privacy intrusions on Danish citizens, and to provide recommendations on how to balance security, safety, and the right to privacy in the future.

Legal spokesperson Steffen Larsen (LA) emphasized the importance of setting boundaries to protect citizens’ rights against constant monitoring, while Helene Brydensholt, legal spokesperson for The Alternative, called for a halt to laws granting excessive surveillance powers to authorities. She advocated for “surveillance of the surveillance.”

The proposal follows the postponement of a bill regarding a new PET (Police Intelligence Service) law, which drew criticism for granting the intelligence service extensive surveillance capabilities. Twenty-five organizations and researchers had previously suggested a privacy commission to assess the scale of surveillance.

Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard (S) initially rejected the idea in early May. However, his stance appears to have softened. He stated in Parliament that he is not opposed to a privacy commission, suggesting it could be part of the discussion regarding the PET bill. Hummelgaard plans to reconvene negotiations on the bill after the summer holidays.

Critics claim the government’s PET law would grant the Police Intelligence Service unprecedented powers for mass surveillance, a claim the Minister of Justice disputes. He maintains that public debate has been based on misunderstandings and denies the bill would lead to increased surveillance.