Dual roles: 18 members of municipal councils are also running for the Danish parliament, so where will they actually sit?

According to DR, their count revealed that 18 members of municipal councils in the greater East Jutland constituency have decided to run for parliament in the elections scheduled for March 24. These figures indicate that many of them will hold dual office if elected, raising the question of whether it is permissible to combine local and national responsibilities.

A large number of candidates from both countries

Municipal candidates face organizational and logistical challenges in balancing their duties on the municipal council with parliamentary committee meetings and plenary sessions. Their workload ranges from attending municipal meetings and participating in hearings and parliamentary group meetings to voting on draft laws, in addition to media appearances and intensive election campaigns.

Geert Perregard's Experience

According to DR, Gert Bjerregaard of the Left Party (Venstre) said his heart beats for Aarhus and East Jutland, and that his 24 years of experience in municipal politics make it possible to bridge the gap between Aarhus municipality and the Christiansborg parliament. Bjerregaard added that his voters deserve his full respect: “From the beginning, I said I wouldn’t forget those who voted for me. I feel a responsibility and respect towards them, and I will take that into account in my work.”.

Difficulties in reconciling positions, according to experts

According to DR, municipal affairs expert Roger Buch warned of the difficulty of combining municipal and parliamentary meetings. Buch stated, “Some find it difficult to attend all meetings. When they have to choose between parliamentary sessions and municipal meetings, it’s the municipal meetings that suffer.” However, Buch explained that having representatives in both the municipal council and parliament creates “valuable connections between local and national politics,” which benefits parties in their constituencies.

Party policies towards multiple job responsibilities

According to DR, some parties have adopted a policy of openness to combining membership in the municipal council with a seat in parliament, while others have prohibited it. DR has listed the parties:

Parties that allow multiple job roles

• Venstre
• Radical Party
• Liberal Alliance
• Conservatives
• Danish People's Party (Dansk Folkeparti)
• New Bourgeoisie (Nye Borgerlige)

Parties that prohibit multiple employment (with the possibility of granting exemptions in special cases)

• Social Democratic Party (Socialdemokratiet)
• Unified List Enhedslisten
• Socialist People's Party SF

Example of Jens Melvang from the Liberal Alliance

According to DR, Jens Meilvang of the Liberal Alliance shared his personal experience after being elected to parliament in 2022. He explained that he had to resign his seat on the Nordjörðurs municipal council because “I often had to leave important meetings in Christiansborg to return and participate in the municipal council meeting. It became more than just a one-time thing.” Meilvang advised potential candidates to have clear expectations of their parliamentary parties, saying, “My good advice is to expect your party in Christiansborg to specify the days you need to be here, so that you can fulfill the responsibilities assigned to you.”.

Next steps

According to DR, observers may be waiting for the Danish Ministry of the Interior to announce the final list of candidates for the parliamentary elections at the beginning of next week, thus clarifying the full picture of the number of candidates who will hold dual positions in local and national politics.