The Danish government has decided to abolish the Store Bededag (‘Great Day of Prayer’) holiday from next year, it announced on Thursday.
In compensation, workers will receive a slight salary increase.
When the newly elected government of Social Democrat Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen took office in December, it said it would abolish a public holiday and use the proceeds from that measure to increase defence spending.
It has now followed through on this announcement, introducing a bill to abolish Store Bededag as a general holiday.
This Christian holiday – introduced in 1686 – is celebrated on the fourth Friday after Easter. From 2024, it will be considered a normal working day
As compensation, workers with fixed contracts will see their salaries increase by 0.45%.
The Federal Ministry of Finance had already announced on Wednesday that the abolition of the public holiday would increase gross domestic product by DKK 9.4 billion (€1.3 billion) and boost the state’s coffers by DKK 3.2 billion (€430 million) a year.
