To increase defense spending, the new coalition government of Denmark will abolish a bank holiday.
It is one of the first policies agreed upon by the unprecedented alliance of center-left and center-right parties, the first since the 1970s.
The new government is comprised of the center-left Social Democratic Party, the center-right Liberal Party, and the center-right Moderate Party.
The incumbent Social Democratic prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, will remain in office.
In October, Ms. Frederiksen called a snap election in response to indignation over the revelation of a highly critical evaluation of her government’s handling of a nationwide mink cull at fur farms during the height of the pandemic.
Despite gaining the most votes in the election held last month, Ms. Frederiksen submitted her government’s resignation to Queen Margrethe to establish a bigger coalition.
When the Liberals and Moderates agreed to suspend calls for an independent legal investigation into the mink cull, a compromise was reached with her longtime adversaries.
The consequence was the unveiling of the Social Democratic-Liberal-Moderate coalition on Thursday when the previous government handed over power.
Lars Lokke Rasmussen, the former prime minister, and leader of the Moderates have been chosen as foreign minister, while Jakob Ellemann-Jensen, leader of the Liberals, becomes deputy prime minister and defense minister.
One of the coalition’s top aims is to meet the NATO defense spending target of 2% of GDP three years ahead of schedule. Since Russia invaded Ukraine earlier this year, the defense question has been at the center of Danish political discourse.
To increase productivity and economic activity, Ms. Frederiksen has declared that one of Denmark’s eleven national holidays will be eliminated.
The axe is likely to fall on Store Bededag (the “Great Prayer Day”), which has been a public holiday since 1686 and occurs annually on the Friday before the fourth Sunday after Easter.
The measure has been criticized, beginning with the religious community in Denmark.
As the Store Bededag is traditionally a large confirmation day, the president of the clergy association, Pernille Vigso Bagge, told the Danish newspaper Berlingske that she was “saddened” by the possibility of losing the day and that its elimination would create a “logistical nightmare” for priests and those waiting to be confirmed.
Sophie Olander, Dean of Roskilde Cathedral, told TV2: “We require holidays as opportunities to slow down and engage in prayer and meditation. It is regrettable to live in a society where you believe it is unimportant.”
Baker Iver Hansen told TV SYD that the day was a significant source of money for his firm and that he stood to lose between 20,000 and 30,000 Danish kroner (£2,300 to £3,460) if the holiday was eliminated.
When questioned about the decision to cancel the vacation, Ms. Frederiksen stated: “Europe is at war, and we must build our defenses… And this will necessitate increased contributions from everyone.”
