A triumph for grassroots democracy – but also a defeat

In a bid to tap into the political currents in society, Parliament has set up a system to enable ordinary people to propose legislation for debate

A parliamentary milestone of sorts occurred today when the first citizen-driven bill was debated in the Danish Folketinget.

The bill came before Parliament because over 53,000 people signed an open electronic petition on the Borgerforslag.dk website. The threshold is 50,000, and in this case it was reached in around 14 days, reports TV2 Nyheder.

The site was recently in the news because of another citizen-driven petition to ban circumcision for boys under 18.

“The whole purpose of education is to enable you to reach new conclusions and become smarter. We hope that politicians will recognise this and that they will also get smart,” said Sana Mahin Doost from the Danish student council Danske Studerendes Fællesråd.

Knocked out of court
Unfortunately for the sponsors of the bill, the majority of MPs had already decided to vote it down.

The petition was started by school and student bodies opposed to the government’s restriction on the right to take more than one higher educational course of the same, or at a lower level, of those that came into force in 2016.

This measure was imposed in order to raise around 300 million kroner for the benefits system.

MPs have pointed out that in the proposed bill there is no suggestion where the money should come from if the restrictions were to be rescinded.




  • 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.