Will the Danish Royalty lose their exclusive rights to hunting?

Enhedslisten and Liberal Alliance both speak out on behalf of the taxpayer

Enhedslisten wants to completely remove the Royal Family's privileges to free hunting in Danish forests.  

As reported by DR earlier this week, the Danish Royal Family have enjoyed exclusive hunting rights in 214 of Denmark’s best forests for 165 years.

Politicians now want to bring this "abuse of state funds" to an end.

READ MORE: Royal Family could lose ancient hunting privileges

The forests and hunting facilities are maintained by the state environmental agency Naturstyrelsen, and according to DR, arranging one royal hunt costs the agency about 100,000 kroner on average. 

"This abuse of state funds must stop. Royal Family must pay for their own hunts," Per Clausen from Enhedslisten told DR.

Taxpayers should not pay for clappers
Additionally, Naturstyrelsen provides the Royal Family with hunting personnel such as clappers and arranges vehicles and buildings for the royals and their guests.

"I don't think that taxpayers should pay for clappers for royal hunts. This should not be their responsibility," Villum Christensen, an environment spokesman for Liberal Alliance, noted.

"I am sure many people would stand in line to provide free assistance to the Royal Family during the hunts."

Free hunting trips for Naturstyrelsen's officials
DR has also revealed that several top officials from Naturstyrelsen are being regularly invited to join the royal hunts, which seems to add fuel to the fire.

"Naturstyrelsen shouldn't provide free staff and buildings to the Royal Family in exchange for free hunting trips as a thank you gift," Clausen commented.

The Royal Family's exclusive rights to almost a third of all available hunting grounds in Denmark were granted in civil law sections of the Danish Constitution in 1849.

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