The mystery of who proposed abolishing Store Bededag, Denmark’s Great Prayer Day holiday, continues to haunt the SVM government three years later. As none of the three coalition parties will claim responsibility for the deeply unpopular decision, political insiders and former ministers suggest the idea may have come from Finance Ministry officials who dusted off a proposal from 2012.
The Political Hot Potato Nobody Wants to Hold
The question has become increasingly awkward as Denmark’s election campaign enters its final stretch. Liberal Party leader Troels Lund Poulsen recently stated it was not his party’s idea to abolish the spring holiday. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Moderates leader Lars Løkke Rasmussen have also denied originating the proposal.
Yet somebody must have brought the idea to the negotiating table at Marienborg in late 2022. The resulting coalition agreement explicitly stated that the government would abolish a public holiday to finance increased defense spending. The holiday was eliminated on January 1, 2024, generating an expected 3 billion kroner annually for the state treasury.
Why the Denial Matters Now
The abolition of Store Bededag became one of the SVM government’s most controversial decisions. The move forced the legislation over the heads of trade unions and turned public opinion sharply against the coalition. Recent polling shows 56 percent of Danes want the holiday restored, while only 26 percent support its elimination.
Moreover, multiple parties now say they would consider reinstating a spring holiday if they gain power after the election. This dramatic reversal makes the question of original responsibility politically toxic. Understanding Danish political dynamics helps explain why all three parties now distance themselves from the decision.
A Mystery With Real Consequences
The denial from all three coalition partners creates an unusual situation. Politicians rarely refuse to own major policy decisions that appear in government foundation documents. However, the backlash has been severe enough that taking credit now carries significant electoral risk.
The issue extends beyond simple political embarrassment. Trade unions opposed the measure from the start, and workers across Denmark felt the government had stolen a cherished day off. This resentment has not faded with time, making the Store Bededag affair a continuing liability for the governing parties.
Tracing the Holiday Proposal Back to 2012
The idea of eliminating a public holiday did not originate with the current government. A similar proposal surfaced during coalition negotiations in 2012 under Prime Minister Helle Thorning Schmidt’s Social Democratic government. At that time, politicians explored removing one or two spring holidays to increase work hours and generate state revenue.
When Mette Frederiksen First Pushed the Idea
The current prime minister played a central role in that earlier attempt. As employment minister in 2012, Frederiksen pushed for Danes to work more to sustain future welfare programs. When asked directly on live television whether she would protect public holidays, she declined to make that commitment.
The 2012 negotiations also involved Bjarne Corydon, then finance minister and now director general of DR, Denmark’s public broadcaster. Together, Frederiksen and Corydon negotiated with trade unions about eliminating a holiday. The talks collapsed when the powerful Dansk Metal union refused to support taking free days from members.
Did the Idea Sleep in a Ministry Drawer
One theory now circulating suggests Finance Ministry analysts kept the holiday elimination concept in reserve after 2012. Such proposals often appear on lists of options for increasing labor supply. Civil servants may have presented it again during the 2022 coalition negotiations as one potential revenue source.
Corydon himself has noted that reform proposals often age like wine, waiting in drawers until political circumstances change. He told Kristeligt Dagblad in 2023 that unpopular ideas on the short term can show benefits over longer periods. This comment has fueled speculation that the 2024 holiday abolition represented a reheated version of the 2012 concept.
Finance Ministry Math and Political Decisions
When pressed about whether Finance Ministry calculations from his time as minister could have resurfaced, Corydon emphasized that Denmark operates as a democracy. Civil servants may present options, but politicians make the final choices. He confirmed that his government did examine various methods to increase working hours, including holiday elimination.
The Role of Technical Analysis
Finance Ministry staff routinely calculate the economic impact of policy options. A comprehensive list of ways to boost labor supply would logically include reducing public holidays. The expected gain from eliminating Store Bededag was pegged at 8,500 full time equivalent positions annually.
Therefore, the three coalition parties can technically claim they did not originate the idea if it appeared on a ministry list of possibilities. However, this explanation does not absolve them of responsibility for choosing that option from the menu. Politicians ultimately decided to include holiday elimination in the coalition agreement and push the legislation through parliament.
Where Political Responsibility Lies
The distinction between proposing an idea and selecting it from a list may seem semantic to many Danes. Regardless of where the concept originated, the SVM coalition made the final decision. They negotiated the terms, drafted the legislation, and voted it into law over union objections.
Political insiders suggest Social Democrats face the greatest risk from continued debate. The party went to the 2022 election without mentioning holiday elimination, making the subsequent decision feel like a betrayal to some voters. For Liberals, the damage may be less severe since the party openly supports labor market reforms that increase work hours.
The Current Push for Restoration
Socialist People’s Party leader Pia Olsen Dyhr recently demanded that any red bloc government reinstate Store Bededag as a public holiday. This call has forced open positions from Social Democrats, Liberals, Moderates and Social Liberals, none of whom have ruled out the possibility entirely.
Conditions and Alternative Financing
The parties expressing openness attach significant conditions to potential restoration. They require alternative sources for the 3 billion kroner annual revenue and the equivalent work hours. Suggestions include reversing recent tax cuts for high earners or reinstating inheritance taxes.
Finance Minister Nicolai Wammen stated he would not reject SF’s proposal in advance. Economy Minister Stephanie Lose from the Liberals said her party remains open but needs to see the complete picture. Moderates initially expressed skepticism about making Denmark more expensive but later softened their stance. The Social Liberals tie any holiday restoration to green transition priorities.
Blue Bloc Support and Trade Union Backing
Right wing parties including Liberal Alliance, Denmark Democrats, Conservatives and Danish People’s Party already support reinstating the holiday. Major trade unions such as FOA, 3F and Dansk Metal back the SF proposal. This combination creates unusual political dynamics where traditional opponents find common ground.
The public opinion split shows more complexity than simple left right division. While 56 percent overall want restoration, the proportion varies significantly between red and blue bloc voters. Nevertheless, even among coalition party supporters, substantial numbers express regret about the holiday’s elimination.
Arguments on Both Sides of the Debate
Supporters of restoration emphasize popular discontent and point to alternative funding sources. They argue the government could reverse tax cuts that primarily benefit wealthy Danes and use those funds instead. Trade unions maintain their members never accepted losing the spring day off, viewing it as theft rather than reform.
The Economic and Cultural Case
Opponents of restoration, including some commentators and think tanks, stress the economic benefits of higher labor supply. They note Denmark faces significant costs for defense upgrades and continued welfare programs. The additional work hours and tax revenue help address these pressures without raising other taxes.
Some also make cultural arguments about separating church and state. They contend that maintaining Christian holidays as public observances no longer fits modern Denmark. However, this perspective has gained little traction compared to economic and worker rights arguments.
Questions About Real Impact
Economists expressed skepticism from the start about whether eliminating Store Bededag would actually generate 8,500 full time equivalent positions. Some workers may simply take vacation days instead, limiting the net increase in hours worked. Others might reduce productivity on remaining work days.
The government has not released comprehensive data on actual labor supply changes since the holiday elimination took effect. Without clear evidence of the promised economic benefits, restoration arguments gain strength. If the policy fails to deliver expected gains, the cost in worker morale and political capital appears even higher.
A Personal Take
On one hand, I understand the frustration that politicians now dodge responsibility for a decision they collectively made and implemented. Democratic accountability requires owning unpopular choices, not hiding behind ministry analyses. The calculation feels cynical when electoral pressure mounts.
On the other hand, I recognize the complexity when civil servants present multiple reform options during intense coalition negotiations. If the Finance Ministry included holiday elimination on a broader list, the parties may genuinely feel they responded to expert advice rather than championing the specific idea themselves. That still leaves them responsible for the final choice.
What Happens Next
With six days remaining in the campaign, the Store Bededag mystery may never reach full resolution. All three coalition parties maintain they did not originate the proposal, pointing instead to bureaucratic processes and economic analysis. Former ministers acknowledge such ideas circulate in government circles for years before circumstances allow implementation.
Electoral Calculations and Compromise
The question now shifts from historical responsibility to future action. Multiple parties have opened the door to restoration, though with significant conditions attached. Any new government would need to identify 3 billion kroner in alternative revenue and equivalent labor supply increases.
The SF proposal to reverse tax cuts for top earners and reinstate inheritance taxes offers one path. However, building majority support for that specific financing package remains uncertain. Other combinations of spending cuts and revenue measures might prove more palatable to centrist parties.
Lessons for Danish Politics
The Store Bededag affair demonstrates the risks of implementing unpopular reforms without broad social partnership. The 2012 attempt failed precisely because trade unions refused to cooperate. The 2023 success in passing legislation came at enormous political cost that continues accumulating.
Whether the holiday returns or remains abolished, the episode has reshaped Danish political debate. It shows the limits of technocratic policy making when decisions affect cherished aspects of work life balance. Future governments will likely think twice before eliminating public holidays, regardless of economic arguments. The mathematics may support more work hours, but the political arithmetic tells a different story.
