The parties of the Danish Parliament have reached an agreement to slow down the pace of legislative work. This step comes after concerns that the speed at Christiansborg (the Danish Parliament building) has been too high for some time. Several politicians have expressed a desire to reduce the pace, and now a solution has been put forward. The information originates from the official website of the Danish Parliament.
Søren Gade (V), the Speaker of the Danish Parliament, stated in a press release: “There is no doubt that the pace in politics has become far too accelerated. It puts pressure on politicians and civil servants, and it can ultimately affect the laws that regulate all of us.” Several prominent politicians, including Alex Vanopslagh (Liberal Alliance) and Jacob Mark (Socialist People’s Party), have previously shared their experiences with stress, bringing attention to the working conditions at Christiansborg. Even Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen (Social Democrats) stated in 2021 during the closing debate of the Danish Parliament that legislative work was moving too quickly and left little time for reflection.
As of today, the requirement is that at least 30 days should pass from the introduction of a bill to its adoption. This threshold will increase to 40 days from the new parliamentary year in October. Additionally, a new rule will be introduced that mandates at least seven days between the introduction of a bill and its first reading, as opposed to the current two days. This is intended to provide politicians with more time for preparation. The agreement has been reached at a time when the pace of the legislative process has increasingly been criticized for creating a stressful work environment for both politicians and civil servants.