In a controversial case of a golden handshake agreement, the former TV 2 personality and special advisor to the Minister for Education and Research Christina Egelund (Liberal Party), Anders Langballe, received 445,000 Danish kroner to leave his position after only 15 months. The agreement has sparked wide criticism and raised questions about the rules and norms that apply to special advisors in the political system. Langballe, who left his position citing a desire for more time with his family, has reportedly received the equivalent of five months’ salary plus pension according to public information. This agreement has come under scrutiny, especially because it does not seem to be linked to a termination, but rather a voluntary resignation.
Jesper Olsen, chairman of Transparency International Denmark, and external lecturer in public law at the University of Copenhagen, expresses concern about the lack of clarity in the rules for special advisors’ departures. “It is problematic that it is not clear what the money is given for, and which rules have been applied. This creates an ambiguity that can lead to speculation and suspicions of irregularities,” he says.
The debate surrounding Langballe’s departure agreement has also garnered political attention. Liberal Alliance’s Ole Birk Olesen has publicly criticized the agreement as a possible favoritism, pointing out that Langballe does not appear to have been fired and therefore should not receive a severance payment. The matter has taken a turn as Langballe edited a comment on LinkedIn, where he and the minister had exchanged remarks about future social events. This has led to speculation about whether there were attempts to conceal a closer personal relationship that could have influenced the agreement.
Despite several attempts to obtain a comment from Anders Langballe, he has not responded with a statement on the matter. This case raises important questions about transparency and rules regarding the hiring and resignation of special advisors in the political system, and it is expected that there will be further investigations and debates on the subject in the near future.