Government finally lands massive municipal equalisation agreement

Wealthier municipalities like Copenhagen, Gentofte and Rudersdal set to fork out millions to their less well-off counterparts

Following months of prolonged negotiations, the government has finally reached an agreement with Venstre, Radikale, Socialistisk Folkeparti and Alternativet regarding a huge municipal equalisation agreement. 

The agreement, which seeks to disperse funds more evenly across Denmark, will see the wealthier municipalities pony up hundreds of millions of kroner to the country’s less-fortunate areas. 

Check out DR’s interactive map to see how much your municipality will get or lose. 

The move is also expected to free an additional 6.5 billion kroner of state funding for the municipalities in 2021. 

“This agreement we present today is a cornerstone for a more balanced Denmark,” said the finance minister, Nicolai Wammen.  

“You should rightfully be able to expect a proper welfare society for you and your family, regardless of where you live in Denmark.” 

READ ALSO: The gap between rich and poor continues to widen

Gentofte’s $ –> Guldborgsund
Around 26 municipalities will have to fork out additional funds as part of the agreement –  Copenhagen will have to give up the most funds at an extra 465 million kroner annually, followed by Gentofte Municipality (164 million).

Others set to lose more money include Rudersdal, Hørsholm, Greve, Aarhus, Horsens, Frederiksberg, Kolding and Hillerød. 

At the other end of the spectrum, municipalities such as Vordingborg, Guldborgsund, Kalundborg, Næstved and Vesthimmerland will gain an extra 100 million kroner every year. 

Read more about the new agreement here (in Danish). 




  • Diplomatic tensions between US and Denmark after spying rumors

    Diplomatic tensions between US and Denmark after spying rumors

    A Wall Street Journal article describes that the US will now begin spying in Greenland. This worries the Danish foreign minister, who wants an explanation from the US’s leading diplomat. Greenlandic politicians think that Trump’s actions increase the sense of insecurity

  • Diplomacy meets Westeros: a dinner with the King, Queen – and Jaime Lannister

    Diplomacy meets Westeros: a dinner with the King, Queen – and Jaime Lannister

    What do King Frederik X, Queen Mary, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, and Jaime Lannister have in common? No, this isn’t the start of a very specific Shakespeare-meets-HBO fanfiction — it was just Wednesday night in Denmark

  • Huge boost to halt dropouts from vocational education

    Huge boost to halt dropouts from vocational education

    For many years, most young people in Denmark have preferred upper secondary school (Gymnasium). Approximately 20 percent of a year group chooses a vocational education. Four out of 10 young people drop out of a vocational education. A bunch of millions aims to change that

  • Beloved culture house saved from closure

    Beloved culture house saved from closure

    At the beginning of April, it was reported that Kapelvej 44, a popular community house situated in Nørrebro, was at risk of closing due to a loss of municipality funding

  • Mette Frederiksen: “If you harm the country that is hosting you, you shouldn’t be here at all”

    Mette Frederiksen: “If you harm the country that is hosting you, you shouldn’t be here at all”

    With reforms to tighten the rules for foreigners in Denmark without legal residency, and the approval of a reception package for internationals working in the care sector, internationals have been under the spotlight this week. Mette Frederiksen spoke about both reforms yesterday.

  • Tolerated, but barely: inside Denmark’s departure centers

    Tolerated, but barely: inside Denmark’s departure centers

    Currently, around 170 people live on “tolerated stay” in Denmark, a status for people who cannot be deported but are denied residency and basic rights. As SOS Racisme draws a concerning picture of their living conditions in departure centers, such as Kærshovedgård, they also suggest it might be time for Denmark to reinvent its policies on deportation

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