Denmark drops (1 public) holiday (of 11) to beef up military spending
Denmark’s newly-formed coalition government has opted to do away with one of the country’s 11 public holidays to help reach NATO’s annual defense spend target of 2% of GDP, despite criticism from religious Danes.
“There is war in Europe, and we need to strengthen our defenses,” Prime Minister Mette Fredriksen explained on Thursday when asked why she was scrapping the holiday on the new government’s first day in power. “That will require everyone to contribute a little more.” She said she hoped the measure would boost productivity and economic activity.
Meeting NATO’s spending target three years ahead of schedule is one of the top priorities of the coalition government, which took power on Thursday. Comprised of the center-right Liberal Party and the centrist Moderates in addition to Fredriksen’s center-left Social Democrats, the coalition is Denmark's first in nearly half a century to include parties from both sides of the political