Nearly 22 million kroner in total salaries have been distributed among the newly elected members of Copenhagen’s City Council. The capital’s top politicians are now some of the highest‑paid local officials in Denmark.
The Highest‑Paid Politicians in Copenhagen
Copenhagen’s new city council has officially settled who will hold the most powerful positions for the next term. The agreement means job titles, salaries, and board seats are now decided for the 55 council members. The total pay package comes to almost 22 million kroner, marking a high point for political earnings in the country.
Some of these salaries even rival what senior national figures earn, including those in jobs where Danish mayors are paid more than the Prime Minister. Beyond their base pay, many local politicians receive additional compensation for chairing committees or serving on boards linked to city‑owned companies and utilities.
Major Roles and Annual Pay
At the top of the list is Sisse Marie Welling from the Socialist People’s Party (SF). Starting January 2026, she will take over as Lord Mayor of Copenhagen, which comes with an annual salary of around 1.55 million kroner.
Right behind her is Line Barfod of the Red‑Green Alliance (Enhedslisten). As Mayor of Technical and Environmental Affairs, she earns about 1.31 million kroner annually. She also sits on the board of the Central Municipal Transmission Company, an added 75,000 kroner a year.
Third is Christopher Røhl from the Social Liberal Party (Radikale Venstre). As the new Mayor for Culture, Leisure, and Citizen Service, his total annual pay reaches roughly 1.26 million kroner. Røhl also takes a smaller board appointment at the Papirøen Water Culture House Foundation, granting him another 20,000 kroner yearly.
Other Copenhagen Mayors
Among those earning just over 1.23 million kroner annually are several of the city’s mayors:
– Jens‑Kristian Lütken from the Liberal Party (Venstre), who oversees Health and Care.
– Karina Vestergård Madsen from the Red‑Green Alliance (EL), serving as Social Affairs Mayor.
– Jakob Næsager of the Conservative People’s Party (K), continuing as Mayor for Children and Youth.
– Andreas Keil from the Social Democrats (S), taking charge of Employment, Integration, and Business.
Even though these politicians hold different portfolios, their pay levels are identical. Together, this group represents the core of Copenhagen’s governing executive.
Additional Board Earnings
Elected members without mayoral posts can still make significant money. Liberal Alliance’s Alexander Ryle, for example, earns about 635,000 kroner. He serves as deputy chair of the Metro Company board, which alone provides 366,000 kroner annually on top of the basic council pay.
Another council member, Rasmus Steenberger from SF, earns around 618,000 kroner. He holds seats on five different boards, including HOFOR (the city’s water utility), the Metro Company, and Amager Resource Center. The combined compensation from these roles adds up quickly.
Finally, Mikkel Skovgaard from Enhedslisten completes the top ten with a little more than 547,000 kroner. He will act as first deputy chair of the City Council and receives extra pay for replacing the Lord Mayor whenever needed.
The Bigger Picture
These new pay packages underline how local politics in Denmark’s capital often brings financial rewards far above the national political average. Because mayoral salaries are linked to population size, large municipalities like Copenhagen dominate the charts.
While future allocations next year could further boost the total, the current arrangement already highlights how much value the city attaches to its leadership. The financial structure also shows how intertwined the roles of politicians and city‑owned companies have become in Denmark’s public administration.
Sources and References
The Danish Dream: Danish Mayors Paid More Than Prime Minister
The Danish Dream: Banking in Denmark for Foreigners (Updated 2025)
DR: Her er de politikere, der tjener mest på Københavns Rådhus
