The delay was confirmed in a note from Finance Minister Nicolai Wammen to the Speaker of the parliament.

The government’s plan to see the budget passed in parliament in a final vote on December 15th or 16th will not come to pass, the minister admitted in the note.

“On behalf of the government I must therefore request a new date for the third [standard voting procedure, ed.] treatment – likely in week 51 [commencing December 20th, ed.],” the minister wrote.

In fact, the government is yet to table a new budget at all, broadcaster DR writes. Negotiations are ongoing between the minority Social Democrat administration and its primary parliamentary allies, the three left wing parties Social Liberal, Socialist People’s Party (SF) and Red Green Alliance.

Denmark’s constitution requires a new budget to voted through parliament by the new year.

When combined with Denmark’s tradition of parliamentary agreements, often across the political divide, this means the budget normally contains funding for proposals and measures desired by parties outside the government. 

The process starts with the government making a “budget proposal”, before entering talks with all the other political parties during which time the budget can change quite substantially. 

The parliament normally votes through the next year’s budget in December, but proposals are normally tabled in early autumn – the original proposal for 2022 was presented at the end of August. 

If the government is unable to secure a majority for a new budget, a temporary spending law is tabled.

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