In a surprising turn of events, the Danish People’s Party (Dansk Folkeparti) has chosen to withdraw from negotiations on a new agreement for the disability sector, which is expected to be presented later today. According to DF’s disability spokesperson, Mette Thiesen, the reason for the party’s exit is that the agreement primarily focuses on savings rather than improvements. The negotiations, led by Minister of Social Affairs Pernille Rosenkrantz-Theil (S), have been marked by disagreements and criticism from various sides.
Originally, only the Socialist People’s Party (SF), the Social Liberal Party (De Radikale), and the Conservative Party (De Konservative) were invited to the negotiations, but after SF was excluded on April 24, the door was opened to other parties. The Red-Green Alliance (Enhedslisten) chose to decline the invitation, while the Liberal Alliance continued in the negotiations.
Mette Thiesen describes the negotiation process as “very, very strange” and expresses frustration that DF was presented with an almost final negotiated agreement text, with minimal room for changes. “When the entire premise for an agreement on the disability sector is that money must be saved, unfortunately we have to withdraw,” says Thiesen.
Criticism of the agreement has not only been internal among politicians. Danish disability organizations have also expressed concern about the agreement’s focus on finances rather than real improvements for people with disabilities. Despite the criticism, Pernille Rosenkrantz-Theil has denied that it is a cost-saving exercise, and has commented that critics are “interpreting the agreement as the devil reads the bible.”
The agreement is expected to be published later today, where the details will be clarified, and it will be revealed how the remaining parties position themselves in relation to the final agreement text.