Morning Briefing – Tuesday, October 15

The Copenhagen Post’s daily round-up of the front pages and other major Danish news stories

Let’s have it, ‘Luxury Lars’

There is no legal reason why Lars Løkke Rasmussen, the head of the opposition, is prevented from publicising documentation for the cost of his travels as head of CCGI, a climate organisation he chairs, according to media law experts nor the Foreign Ministry. Criticism of Rasmussen has been ratcheted up in recent days, after it was first revealed that he travelled first class using taxpayer money as head of the organisation, and then for refusing to apologise for the way the funds were used. Rasmussen, who has also let Venstre lieutenants deal with the media fallout, has indicated that the CCGI’s bylaws prevent him from publicly releasing the information. – DR Nyheder

 

READ MORE: A first-class scandal for Luxury Lars

 

More psychological injuries reported, fewer approved  

Even as the number of psychologically related occupational injuries reported to authorities rose at an annual rate of 30 percent last year, to 4,500, the percentage of those receiving official recognition that their condition amounts to a workplace injury has hit a new low of 5 percent. Other types of workplace injuries, such as accidents and skin afflictions, have recognition rates up to 77 percent. The disparity comes despite legislation passed by the current government giving equal status to mental and physical workplace injuries. Unions have now called on occupational health authorities to take mental injuries more seriously, but they have also previously pointed out that claims reviewers have too heavy a workload to do their job properly. – Politiken 

 

READ MORE: Surveys paint blurry picture of workplace stress

 

White collar flight

As many as a dozen Danske Bank executives have left the nation’s largest bank since 2012, when long-time managing director Peter Skaarup stepped down. A review of the individuals who stepped down – or in some cases were dismissed – and the jobs they moved on to, revealed no particular pattern. “Still, there’s no doubt we’ve seen a certain amount of bloodletting at Danske Bank recently,” said Jykse Bank Analyst Crhistian Hede. The situation has left four of the company’s most senior executive positions unfilled. Hede said the revolving door on the executive corridor was sending a worrisome signal to investors. “It could well be that they use it to their advantage and show they have the guts to fire an executive. But if it happens again and again, then it starts to look like they are just panicking.” – Berlingske Business

 

Golden parachute dragging down tax minister

A hefty severance bonus paid to an embattled advisor who resigned of his own free will is coming back to haunt the tax minister, Holger Nielsen (Socialistisk Folkeparti). Thomas Brahm resigned in September after he found himself in the media spotlight for sending email to the media that criticised Socialdemokraterne, the prime minister’s party, for flip-flopping on its policy towards paternity leave for fathers. Brahm was given six-months severance, even though Nielsen had no authority to do so, since he was not officially dismissed. – Information 

 

Editorial Excerpt | Løkke Land

Ever since the 2011 general election, Venstre and the opposition have held a comfortable lead in the polls. The government’s flip-flopping has pushed voters to support Lars Løkke Rasmussen as their next prime minister. A Jyllands-Posten poll published this weekend – which didn’t include the effect of Rasmussen’s questionable travel expenses on voters – showed the PM’s Socialdemokraterne lurching forward. If the trend continues, we’ll have a political race on our hands again, and voters will be left with a PM who lied her way to power in 2011 and an opposition leader who apparently has lost all sense of good judgement and ethics when it comes to dealing with public funds. – Jyllands-Posten 




  • Cross-border moves on the rise in the Øresund region

    Cross-border moves on the rise in the Øresund region

    The number of relocations across the Øresund Region is rising. As highlighted by 2023 numbers, Sweden benefits from a growing interest, especially among younger generations.

  • Tunø: An island running out of time

    Tunø: An island running out of time

    The island of Tunø harbors a community of 74 adults and one child. There are no cars and only one connection to the rest of the world. Now, climate change threatens it

  • In conversation with Conrad Molden: The man behind the mic

    In conversation with Conrad Molden: The man behind the mic

    He’s tickled our funny bone with countless wisecracks and clever wordplay, and in the process, made Denmark feel a little more personable to many expats. An international import himself, funny man Conrad Molden has successfully carved out a niche for himself on the Danish stand-up scene, but it’s taken a solid 13 years, much trial and error, and heaps of Danglish

  • Here Comes The Sun…

    Here Comes The Sun…

    I escaped from Denmark this winter to the south of France, where I was convinced that the sunshine would inspire me to write this year’s Crazy Christmas comedy show.

  • Volunteer Night 2025: when volunteering rhymes with integrating

    Volunteer Night 2025: when volunteering rhymes with integrating

    On Wednesday, April 30, from 17:00 to 20:00, Studenterhuset will host Volunteer Night 2025, a free event organized by the organization International House Copenhagen, which goal is to ease the relocation process for newcomers in Denmark

  • The international who shaped Copenhagen

    The international who shaped Copenhagen

    Anna Maria Indrio is one of the most important architects in Denmark, having contributed to shaping Copenhagen into what it is today. Among her best-known projects are the extension of SMK and Arken, as well as the Natural History Museum and the Darwin Centre in London. She moved here 60 years ago, when “Copenhagen was gray and dormant. Predictions suggested it would become depopulated. But putting people at the center changed everything,” she said

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