Danish parliament debates psychological support for ousted MPs
The Speaker of the Folketing (Parliament) of Denmark, Soeren Gade, has proposed offering specialized psychological support to members of parliament who were not re-elected. The therapy would be funded with public resources.
- Some of my colleagues fell into depression or a state similar to this illness after the last elections - Gade argued in an interview with the Danish public broadcaster, DR. He did not disclose the names of these members of parliament.
The head of the Folketing described the parliament as a "strange workplace" where little attention is given to politicians who lose their positions. - In large corporations or municipal offices, there are programs to support people leaving their jobs against their will - he emphasized.
Gade's proposal is currently being considered by the parliament's presidium and the rules committee. There is talk of offering departing politicians, for example, eight sessions with a psychologist or an hour of consultation with a recruiter to help with future career planning.
The idea of publicly funded support for politicians who failed to secure re-election has sparked a debate in Denmark. A columnist for the newspaper "Berlingske," Aminata Corr Thrane, called the idea "ill-conceived" and "bordering on absurdity."
- The lack of re-election is one of the fairest and most proper things; it is the essence of democracy - she emphasized. She added that politicians rejected by voters do not constitute a vulnerable social group or a low-income group and should be able to finance such therapy from their own resources.
Approx. $9,600 salary for a Danish member of parliament
The single-chamber Folketing consists of 179 politicians from Denmark and Denmark's dependent territories: Greenland and the Faroe Islands. The last parliamentary elections occurred in the fall of 2022, and the next must be called no later than 2026.
The basic salary of a Danish member of parliament is 66,800 kroner (approximately $9,600 CAD). After leaving parliament, politicians are entitled to severance pay equal to six to 24 months of salary, depending on their tenure.
