‘Crazy, foolish, totally wrong’: Denmark scraps 300-year-old holiday to pay for Nato defence budget

The loss of the holiday - created more than 300 years ago when a Danish bishop merged several minor holidays - has triggered a backlash throughout the country

(AFP)

Danish legislators have voted to abolish a springtime public holiday in order to use the savings and boost defence spending, despite harsh criticism from the opposition, trade unions and the country’s bishops.

In a 95-68 vote, the 179-seat Folketing approved the centrist coalition government’s Bill to scrap Store Bededag, or Great Prayer Day, that falls on the fourth Friday after Easter. Some 16 legislators were absent.

Savings from the holiday’s scrapping are estimated at around three billion kroner (£353 million) annually.