During a crucial meeting with labor unions, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen reaffirmed her commitment to ensuring fair pension conditions for Danish workers. She promised to implement a new protection mechanism for those with physically demanding jobs, which would halt the automatic increase in the retirement age. “We must be a Denmark where a fair retirement age is guaranteed,” Frederiksen declared, emphasizing that it is no longer sustainable to simply extend working lives without considering the physical toll on some workers.

This statement was made during her speech at the Labor Market Top Meeting (Lønmodtagernes Topmøde), organized by the Danish Trade Union Confederation (Fagbevægelsens Hovedorganisation). The Prime Minister also pointed out the positive economic situation, highlighting high employment rates and low unemployment, while stressing the need for further improvements in working conditions.

Frederiksen expressed the goal of strengthening family life and work-life balance, aiming to create an environment in Denmark where people are encouraged to start families and where support is available for fertility issues. She reminded the audience of the “Arne Pension” introduced four years ago, which already addressed the needs of the most physically burdened workers. However, she underscored that it is time for a new pension reform. “We need to open the conversation about the retirement age in Denmark, and it is time to take the next step,” the Prime Minister stated.