Danish Parliament approves on-call spiritual support for members

The presidium of the Danish Parliament, Folketing, has decided to provide members with access to spiritual support through the Evangelical Lutheran Church. Under an agreement with the Bishop of Copenhagen, parliamentarians can call a dedicated number to arrange meetings with a clergyman in a location of their choice to discuss private and existential matters.

To address concerns regarding the secular nature of Danish public life, the clergy will not maintain a permanent office within the parliament building. Instead, they will provide services as part of their standard ministry.

The decision has sparked significant debate regarding the separation of church and state. Ida Auken, the Minister for Health and Faith and a proponent of the initiative, argued that politicians may have a unique need to discuss topics such as regret and forgiveness with a religious figure. However, her support for the move drew criticism from within her own party, with some activists leaving the group in protest.