Millions of kroner are distributed in local political board positions every election night, but experts warn that taxpayers might ultimately bear a much higher price.
Political Seats Worth Millions
Every local election night in Denmark comes with more than the selection of mayors and committee positions. Municipal politicians also divide a large number of board seats in companies owned or influenced by their municipalities. Many of these roles come with significant financial rewards and local prestige.
An analysis from the liberal think tank Cepos shows that board fees add up to about 45 million kroner a year across Denmark, or roughly 180 million kroner over a four-year election period. However, Cepos fears that the real cost could be far greater, as politicians may lack the expertise needed to manage companies that often hold monopoly positions in essential services. That inefficiency can affect both taxpayers and consumers.
The issue connects to a bigger debate over transparency and competence in local politics, one reminiscent of how national leaders have argued for stronger governance and strategic planning in other critical sectors.
The Viborg Example
In Viborg, local council member Peter Juhl from the Conservative Party serves as chairman of the energy company Energi Viborg, which is fully owned by the municipality. Last year, he received nearly 325,000 kroner in fees from company boards he was appointed to by the council, most of which came from Energi Viborg.
During the chaos that followed Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, energy markets became unpredictable, demonstrating how energy companies make up part of Denmark’s critical infrastructure. Juhl later acknowledged that the board lacked the necessary experience to navigate such a crisis and argued that competence, not politics, should determine who sits at the table.
Even so, Juhl’s proposal to reduce the number of politically appointed members in the Energi Viborg board from five to three, creating space for external experts, was rejected by the city council. He admitted being part of the same systemic issue he’d criticized, which reflects the tension between politics and professionalism in local governance.
How “Legs” Work in Municipal Politics
In Danish political slang, these board appointments are sometimes called “ben,” or “legs.” They represent external board positions given to politicians in municipally affiliated institutions or companies. While some posts are directly justified by their political role, others could, in theory, be filled by qualified external professionals.
The question of how these assignments are distributed resurfaces regularly. In 2017, for example, a Copenhagen coalition agreement explicitly promised one party board posts valued at 125,000 kroner. Critics called it a sign of political favoritism rather than merit-based selection.
Strong administrative oversight is meant to ensure fair processes, yet experts believe municipalities differ widely in how seriously they treat board competence. According to academic observers, appointed politicians tend to assume multiple roles at once—monitoring, advising, and linking political and corporate goals—but the balance depends on the sector. A board in a cultural institution, for instance, differs greatly from one managing energy supply or waste treatment.
Money is Not the Only Motivation
Even though millions of kroner are at stake, researchers believe that financial rewards are rarely the main motivation for entering local politics. For many politicians, these board roles feel more like a natural part of their council duties than personal income opportunities.
Nevertheless, compensation levels vary widely. In Copenhagen, the capital’s city council distributes board fees worth more than two million kroner annually. Social Democrat Marcus Vesterager, who serves as deputy chair of the Metro company, is Denmark’s best-paid non-mayor, earning about 368,000 kroner in fees last year.
He has argued that the workload reflects significant responsibility and that in large companies like Metroselskabet, political representatives are supplemented by others appointed from government or partner municipalities to ensure balanced perspectives.
Concerns About Oversight and Competence
Experts warn that even if local politicians are well-intentioned, a lack of focus on competence matching could hurt service quality and costs. With many essential utilities under municipal control, such as waste management and district heating, effective oversight matters as much as strong state-level defense or infrastructure planning.
Because of that, some analysts urge cities to reconsider how they appoint members to their utility boards. The ultimate goal, they argue, should be efficiency for citizens rather than rewards for party loyalty. In the end, the debate reveals a structural challenge at the heart of Danish local democracy: maintaining trust and performance in institutions that serve every household in the country.
Sources and References
The Danish Dream: The Real Reason Denmark Needs Stronger Defence Strategy Now
TV2: På valgnatten fordeles ‘ben’ til 180 millioner kroner – men prisen kan være langt højere, frygter analysechef
