Radikale reveal details about party donors

Coalition partner hopes to set a good example ahead of negotiations to improve the transparency of party financing

In an attempt to encourage increased political transparency, government coalition party Radikale has released extra details about the donations it received ahead of the 2011 general election.

Current rules stipulate that parties have to publish the names of donors who contribute more than 20,000 kroner to a political party, but the actual amount of the donation can remain a secret.

Radikale revealed over the weekend that it received 450,000 kroner from the shipping giant A.P. Moller Maersk and 750,000 kroner from the industry lobby group Dansk Industri.

“We hope to set a new standard on transparency and would like to see it influence negotiations about the reform of party funding rules,” party spokesperson Jeppe Mikkelsen told Politiken newspaper. “But we will implement [increased transparency] regardless of what happens in the negotiations.”

Far-left party Enhedslisten is also pushing for increased transparency on party funding and has released extra details about its budgets for the local elections in the autumn. The party revealed that it had around  1.6 million kroner available to fund its local election campaign in Copenhagen.

Parliament has already agreed to take a look at party funding rules ahead of the next general election and will examine the rules about donations that are given directly to candidates to fund their personal election campaigns.

While an election campaign can cost a candidate several hundred thousand kroner, political candidates are entitled to keep details about their donors a secret.

Parliament’s two main parties, the ruling Socialdemokraterne (S) and opposition party Venstre (V), are both hesitantly supportive of re-evaluating party funding rules.

“We will of course play according to the relevant rules,” S party secretary Lars Midtiby told Politiken. “We won’t play according to different rules than Venstre, but we also said it is sensible to take a look at the rules about transparency. That’s why we have planned to take a look at increasing transparency before the next election.”

V has already expressed concern about the “indirect support” that left-wing parties such as S receive from trade unions.

“During the last election, Socialdemokraterne candidates received a lot of support and practical help from the trade unions,” V spokesperson Inger Støjberg told Politiken. “We also need to take a look at that.”

TOP STORIES

  • Bestselling author of ‘The Year of Living Danishly’ Helen Russell on why she moved back to the UK after 12 years

    Bestselling author of ‘The Year of Living Danishly’ Helen Russell on why she moved back to the UK after 12 years

    After more than a decade living in Denmark, Russell shares why she made the move, how she’s coping, what she already misses, and the exciting new projects she’s working on. “It’s been a very tough decision. I love Denmark, and it will always hold a special place in my heart,” she says.

  • Denmark launches first AI supercomputer

    Denmark launches first AI supercomputer

    The new Gefion AI supercomputer is one of the world’s fastest and will accelerate research and provide new opportunities in Danish academia and industry.

  • Navigating big love, big moves and big feelings

    Navigating big love, big moves and big feelings

    Experts believe it takes seven years to move into a new culture, according to leading Danish psychologist Jette Simon and therapist Vibeke Hartkorn. For expat couples, the challenges of starting a new life together in Denmark can put pressure on relationships, but emotions-focused therapy can help.

  • More and more Danes are working after retirement age

    More and more Danes are working after retirement age

    Politicians debate a lot these days about when you can retire. The reality shows that an increasing number of Danes like to work, even if they can withdraw from the labor market. Financial incentives help.

  • Environmental activist fears death in prison if extradited to Japan

    Environmental activist fears death in prison if extradited to Japan

    Canadian-born environmental activist Paul Watson has been in prison in Greenland for almost 100 days awaiting an extradition decision for a 14-year-old offence against a Japanese whaling vessel that he calls a “minor misdemeanor”. The 73-year-old had previously passed through Ireland, Switzerland, Monaco, France and the USA without trouble, before Greenlandic police arrested him in July.

  • Denmark too slow to ease recruitment rules for non-EU service workers, say industry associations

    Denmark too slow to ease recruitment rules for non-EU service workers, say industry associations

    When the Danish government in January presented the first of its schemes to make it easier to recruit foreign labour from outside the EU, it was hailed by the healthcare and service sectors as a timely and important policy shift. But while healthcare changes have been forthcoming, the service sector is still struggling, say the directors of the industry association Dansk Industri and one of the country’s largest private employers ISS.

Connect club

Connect Club is your gateway to a vibrant programme of events and an international community in Denmark.

Sign up here

Career

  • Come and join us at Citizens Days!

    Come and join us at Citizens Days!

    On Friday 27 and Saturday 28 of September, The Copenhagen Post will be at International Citizen Days in Øksnehallen on Vesterbro, Copenhagen. Admission is free and thousands of internationals are expected to attend

  • Diversifying the Nordics: How a Nigerian economist became a beacon for inclusivity in Scandinavia

    Diversifying the Nordics: How a Nigerian economist became a beacon for inclusivity in Scandinavia

    Chisom Udeze, the founder of Diversify – a global organization that works at the intersection of inclusion, democracy, freedom, climate sustainability, justice, and belonging – shares how struggling to find a community in Norway motivated her to build a Nordic-wide professional network. We also hear from Dr. Poornima Luthra, Associate Professor at CBS, about how to address bias in the workplace.

  • Lolland Municipality launches support package for accompanying spouses

    Lolland Municipality launches support package for accompanying spouses

    Lolland Municipality, home to Denmark’s largest infrastructure project – the Fehmarnbelt tunnel connection to Germany – has launched a new jobseeker support package for the accompanying partners of international employees in the area. The job-to-partner package offers free tailored sessions on finding a job and starting a personal business.

Want to advertise your job with CPH Post?

Contact us

Jobs