Lars Løkke Rasmussen, the political leader of the Moderates (Moderaterne) party in Denmark, has introduced visions on how to better support vulnerable citizens and prevent them from becoming “pawns” in the system. According to Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, the upcoming dignity reform (værdighedsreform) that the government is working on should focus on freeing the most disadvantaged individuals from societal constraints.

Rasmussen states in an interview with the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten that a specific group of citizens is so socially deprived that they should be exempt from typical societal expectations. The government has allocated 100 million Danish kroner (approximately $15 million) towards this initiative in their budget proposal, with plans for further increases. He emphasizes that the ideas primarily stem from the Moderates party and insists on the need to end the situation where municipalities and various sectors of the healthcare system shift responsibilities away from themselves.

The Moderates are drawing inspiration from a foreign concept that allows vulnerable individuals to seek assistance from a single authority, thereby preventing them from “walking through the wrong door.” Rasmussen proposes that responsibility for such a system could lie with a social hub or a non-governmental organization (NGO), noting that generally established requirements work effectively. However, he acknowledges that there are exceptions, where some individuals experience such extreme circumstances that they cannot meet these requirements and thus need a specialized approach.

Details of the dignity reform are still under development, but the government framework expresses a desire to enhance social services, ensuring that vulnerable citizens encounter the public system with more considerate conditions. Additionally, Rasmussen has re-engaged in discussions surrounding pensions, prompted by Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s proposal to renegotiate the Welfare Agreement (Velfærdsaftalen) from 2006, which links the retirement age to life expectancy. While he does not explicitly call for negotiations at Christiansborg, the seat of the Danish Parliament, Lars Løkke Rasmussen believes it would be prudent to conclude this debate before the next parliamentary election.