Culture minister may lose job over pricey dinners

After spending the last few days in the eye of a political storm, Uffe Elbæk changes part of his story and loses the backing of his colleagues

Uffe Elbæk risks losing his position as culture minister after new revelations emerged today regarding his spending of 180,000 kroner on five official dinners and meetings at Akademiet for Utæmmet Kreativitet, an art school where his husband is employed, and where he himself was a member of the board.

After the story broke over the weekend, opposition parties and the government's far-left ally Enhedslisten (EL) said they needed more answers from Elbæk (Radikale). The explanations they received today have led to the case "taking a very unfortunate turn", according to EL's Per Clausen. 

Prior to today's meeting, Elbæk told assembled media that he had discussed the five lavish dinners with officials in his ministry, who raised no concerns. Following the meeting, however, Elbæk changed his tune and said that he had in fact been warned about the dinners.

"There was one official who was good enough to say, 'Uffe, we need to discuss this. In the long-term, this isn't very smart'," Elbæk said. "And I completely agree with him."

Both EL and opposition party Venstre are now calling for the national auditor's office, Rigsrevisionen, to investigate. Elbæk said he would welcome that move.

"That would be a good outcome of the meeting," he said. "I would have no problems with that."

TV2 News reported this evening that with the change in Elbæk's explanation, he had lost the backing of key allies in the government. As a result, his job is now in jeopardy.

Elbæk told TV2 News that if it was true that his colleagues would like to see him step down he would be disappointed, but added that it wasn't his decision to make. He also told the station that what he did "lacked political judgement".

TV2's political analyst, Henrik Qvortrup, said that Elbæk's position as culture minister is "very much in danger". 




  • 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.