The Danish Parliament is set to hold the first reading of a citizen proposal advocating for a complete halt to all direct and indirect arms trade with Israel, including the F-35 collaboration. This proposal, initiated by Honey Biba Beckerlee and supported by over 50,000 citizens, is motivated by the high number of casualties in Gaza.
However, the proposal faces resistance from government officials. Both Christian Friis Bach, foreign policy spokesperson from Venstre, and Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen (S) have expressed their opposition, emphasizing existing restrictions on arms exports to Israel. Friis Bach acknowledged the frustration behind the proposal but stated that the government already has a restrictive policy in place.
In other news, the decision to ban debate on the Israel-Palestine conflict in next year’s school elections continues to draw criticism. Despite the controversy, Speaker of the Parliament Søren Gade stands by the decision, citing an assessment from the Agency for Education and Quality. Gade had initially justified the ban by stating the topic was too inflammatory and complicated for orderly discussion in a short time frame.
Regarding the base agreement between Denmark and the USA, a previously included sentence about Danish nuclear weapons policy has been removed from the bill. Minister of Defence Troels Lund Poulsen (V) clarified that this removal does not indicate a change in Denmark’s policy. He assured that, under the current circumstances, nuclear weapons will not be stationed in Denmark.
In brief, a 15-year-old convicted of manslaughter faces deportation, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen accuses Vladimir Putin of insincerity regarding peace negotiations with Ukraine, and Frederiksen’s guest appearance on “The Great Junior Bake Off” has drawn criticism towards DR.
Today’s schedule includes the publication of a new economic advisory report, a parliamentary meeting to discuss various bills, a Liberal Alliance conference on energy and nuclear power, and an open consultation on Danish citizenship.