Danish parliament reaches record low for workers as over half are academics

Only 13 percent of newly elected MPs in Denmark’s Folketing have a vocational or unskilled background, while more than half hold academic degrees, according to a new analysis by DR.

The disparity marks a historic gap between lawmakers and the population they represent. Just 15 percent of Danes have long higher education qualifications, compared to over 50 percent of parliamentarians. Meanwhile, 55 percent of the population consists of unskilled or vocationally trained workers—yet they make up only 12 percent of the Folketing.

Allan Kortnum, head of the Danish Vocational Colleges and Technical Schools association, warns that the imbalance risks creating “blind spots” in political decision-making. “It sets a particular need for the newly elected to actively seek insight into vocational fields they lack personal experience with,” he said.

Anne Rasmussen, a professor at the University of Copenhagen and King’s College London specialising in representation, agrees that relatability matters for public trust. “People may view decisions as less legitimate if made by those fundamentally different from themselves,” she explained.

Rasmus Kemp, a stainless steel sheet metal apprentice and spokesperson for the Apprentice Rebellion movement, says the disconnect is palpable. “You turn on the TV and see a bunch of guys in suits, but you don’t even own a blazer or know how to tie a tie. You don’t understand a word they’re saying,” he said. His impression is that many apprentices feel politics is irrelevant: “They think it doesn’t matter who they vote for—politicians will screw them over anyway.”

The shift is stark compared to 1979, when nearly one-third of MPs had vocational or unskilled backgrounds. Even Social Democratic Prime Minister Anker Jørgensen had worked as a warehouse labourer. Today, only 13 percent of his party’s MPs share that profile, while half are academics.

Leif Lahn Jensen (S), an unskilled MP and former dockworker, argues that firsthand experience with workplace realities—like wear-and-tear or labour conditions—is irreplaceable. “That group must be represented in parliament,” he said, though he admits recruitment is difficult: “It seems those without formal education simply don’t want to engage in politics.”

Liberal Alliance’s group leader, Ole Birk Olesen—a trained journalist—rejects the notion that background determines perspective. “It’s strange to assume someone can’t understand working life just because they’ve done different work,” he said, insisting his political views, not his education, define his representation.

Social Democrat Thomas Skriver Jensen, a former industrial technician, disagrees. “As a worker on Christiansborg [parliament], I believe I prioritise differently than a former journalist,” he said. “Diversity is crucial—otherwise, we risk becoming a bubble, debating among ourselves without addressing what truly matters to Danes.”

One pressing issue for apprentices like Kemp is the low training wage, a concern he fears remains overlooked in a parliament dominated by academics.