When media started posing critical questions to Søren Gade, a number of politicians suddenly received a surprising letter.

Good morning.

Members of the Committee on Business Affairs received an unexpected letter from the Speaker of the Folketing, Søren Gade (V), yesterday.

In December 2022, Gade informed the committee that he had resigned as managing director of the company Tecleaf.

However, he was mistaken, he admitted yesterday.

"I must inform you that I still hold the position," wrote Søren Gade in the letter, which was made public on Tuesday evening. (https://www.berlingske.dk/politik/soeren-gade-erkender-i-brev-har-givet-folketinget-forkerte-oplysninger)

The letter was sent in response to criticism (https://www.berlingske.dk/politik/ny-kritik-af-soeren-gades-dobbeltrolle-havneselskab-har-taette) of Søren Gades role as managing director of Esbjerg Havn, while he is also the Speaker of the Folketing.

Gade sent the letter after both TV 2 (https://nyheder.tv2.dk/live/politik/2025-05-13-soeren-gade-har-givet-forkerte-oplysninger-om-bestyrelsesarbejde/brev-kommer-efter-tv-2-spoergsmaal?entry=33633422-b1bc-462c-998f-d1e4fbd8a534) and Ekstra Bladet (https://ekstrabladet.dk/nyheder/politik/efter-ekstra-bladet-spoergsmaal-gade-smider-bombe/10615248) had asked why several of his positions in boards and advisory boards were not listed on the Folketing's website.

Moderaterne's Henrik Frandsen, who is a member of the Committee on Business Affairs, calls it "entirely trivial" (https://www.berlingske.dk/politik/moderaterne-soeren-gades-sag-er-helt-nede-i-bagatelafdelingen?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AerBZYOO_UBj1zPRVE1yV1maj8SRwBcRmfLCkhXvWbDMxPp4Xrp8fGbxtWvSpeX_35s%3D&gaa_ts=68243ff5&gaa_sig=HcRUXMOpg9WrKejUxfJzo7GGwRhSNvkcxV7Oe-Bmpkdyqm4ijWPgFkux415sW-nd8j8Q5RSDHU9L8j7nzDwK4A%3D%3D) , while Ole Birk Olesen from Liberal Alliance considers it "very criticized" that Gade did not provide correct information.

Among Danish commentators and analysts of Danish politics, there is widespread agreement that the matter is serious.

Although Hans Redder, who is the political editor of TV 2, does not evaluate whether Søren Gade will be pilloried by the prestigious position, the matter now has a new perspective.

"It becomes even more serious for Søren Gade now, where it is no longer a question of whether he should have the positions or not, but that he has spoken untruthfully," says Hans Redder to TV 2 (https://nyheder.tv2.dk/live/politik/2025-05-13-soeren-gade-har-givet-forkerte-oplysninger-om-bestyrelsesarbejde/redaktoer--soeren-gade-er-ikke-i-fare?entry=f02b6a22-693d-42e3-b476-317d0cecd1f4).

BT's political analyst, Henrik Qvortrup, considers it "grim" (https://www.bt.dk/politik/qvortrup-om-ny-udvikling-i-gade-sag-det-ser-grimt-ud) , and Jyllands-Postens Niels Th. Dahl calls it a "much more serious matter" (https://jyllands-posten.dk/politik/ECE18181220/jps-politiske-analytiker-kalder-det-en-meget-mere-alvorlig-sag-soeren-gade-har-givet-forkerte-oplysninger/):

"It becomes a matter that becomes harder and harder for Søren Gade to tie up."

Berlingske's political commentator, Bent Winther, considers it to have implications for support within the party.

"Gade risks becoming a burden for Venstre, if he insists on keeping his positions, even though he has the right on his side. It becomes increasingly difficult for those who support him to continue to do so."

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Today's death knell

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The letter from Gade was not the only announcement that caused a stir in Danish politics yesterday.

In the evening, the newspaper Politiken (https://politiken.dk/danmark/politik/art10408689/Regeringen-vil-unders%C3%B8ge-muligheden-for-atomkraft-i-Danmark) published a story that could potentially mark the end of a 40-year ban.

The government has decided to initiate an investigation that will analyze risks and potentials of new nuclear power technologies.

"We observe that there is a development on the way with new nuclear power technologies - small, modular reactors. The government has decided to initiate an analysis of what the potential is in the new nuclear power technologies," says climate and energy minister Lars Aagaard (M) (https://politiken.dk/danmark/politik/art10408689/Regeringen-%C3%A5bner-d%C3%B8ren-p%C3%A5-klem-for-atomkraft-i-Danmark).

Therefore, the government, as Politiken describes it, opens "a door on a tightrope" for a breach of the ban on nuclear power in Denmark, which was decided in March 1985.

The announcement comes at a time when the debate about nuclear power has been rekindled at Christiansborg.

Where it was years ago about fear of radioactive disasters, the focus is now on the technology's profitability, speed, and adaptability to the Danish energy system.

In the last week, there were also new tones from Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen (https://www.berlingske.dk/politik/et-historisk-og-et-meget-markant-skred-socialdemokratiet-klar-til-at-se?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AerBZYOUICKewwXvhZG0uUb88fKGbqAvmKlemQssw3lqKkO9PQSdmeaw43GL0TDRzBo%3D&gaa_ts=682425d9&gaa_sig=ofx7LXEJc_yPW5WK6-eFShAXRADrWixTnzwIpFQcKZdjYHYzAtx93n-86JaCBU2meq_NlSacChk0tEy6Htqc_g%3D%3D), who pleaded for looking at relaxing the ban on nuclear power with "open eyes."

The four blue parties have called Aagaard (M) to an emergency question in the Folketing on Wednesday.

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Today's billion-dollar accounting error

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Before we move on to today's short stories, let's quickly go by the Ministry of Finance, which has once again made a mistake.

It appears that there could be up to 70 billion kroner more on the balance sheet in the state budget than previously assumed, writes Politiken (https://politiken.dk/danmark/art10410338/Milliardfejl-i-Finansministeriet-rejser-nye-sp%C3%B8rgsm%C3%A5l-om-store-bededag).

As a result of this, finance minister Nicolai Wammen (S) has initiated a larger "method review" of the way the ministry calculates.

The economic room has been adjusted several times since the 2022 general election with a total of 45.5 billion kroner towards 2030. Now, another "significant adjustment" is on the way, writes Ritzau (https://www.berlingske.dk/politik/wammen-vil-bygge-ny-regnemaskine-for-raaderum-efter-flere-fejlskoen?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AerBZYNYqyS5qBJxroAtUUxAXSdQIeZYYkkXdzIbCRz7NKS-d6DsMPeAgVSei40f6NE%3D&gaa_ts=682432af&gaa_sig=2vky8TePGKmIr-yRAVoE0A7SU-U659HXf-zBpJsMNmkE-mbIQ_kL17ERxBTPSx73d3FV9WgDI0JeBu7lN4UDBg%3D%3D), which has also spoken with the minister.

Enhedslisten and SF therefore demand large tax cuts back.

"The government went out and stole a holiday for all Danes with the argument that there was not enough money in the budget for the challenges we face," says Enhedslistens political spokesman, Pelle Dragsted, to Politiken (https://politiken.dk/danmark/art10410338/Milliardfejl-i-Finansministeriet-rejser-nye-sp%C3%B8rgsm%C3%A5l-om-store-bededag).

Finance minister Nicolai Wammen maintains that the abolition of the day as a holy and holiday day was necessary.

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Today's short stories

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*1.* Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen (M) is more than concerned that the Israeli prime minister is announcing plans to carry out a full-scale operation in Gaza to defeat Hamas.

"I am very upset. And I have not exaggerated my language," says Løkke in an interview with DR News (https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/politik/oproert-loekke-netanyahus-planer-i-gaza-er-provokerende-og-strider-mod-alle).

*2.* The Conservatives' Rasmus Jarlov has had enough of the government's "buy-buy-buy" rhetoric about quickly acquiring new weapons.

"Everything is happening in slow motion," says the disgruntled defense spokesman in an interview with Jyllands-Posten (https://jyllands-posten.dk/politik/ECE18163611/han-har-faaet-nok-af-koebkoebkoebsnak-alting-foregaar-i-snegletempo/?fp-exp=60320002&fp-alg=603200021).

The Defense Material and Procurement Agency informs that the possibility of a quick grenade purchase is being investigated.

*3.* Anders Fogh Rasmussen opened the Copenhagen Democracy Summit, an international democracy conference, with a reference to Churchill, writes Berlingske (https://www.berlingske.dk/internationalt/demokratiet-er-under-pres-ingen-overgivelse-ingen-underkastelse).

"No surrender, no submission, no compromise," sounded in a speech on the history of democracy over the past 80 years.

*4.* Socialdemokratiet is dragging its feet after DR for not living up to its public service contract, which concerns preparing the Danes for a crisis, writes Jyllands-Posten (https://eavis.jyllands-posten.dk/p/jyllands-posten/14-05-2025/a/socialdemokratiet-langer-ud-efter-landets-stoerste-medie/2671/1908485/62909483).

During the power outage in Spain and Portugal, the public service giant missed an opportunity to be informative and educational, evaluates crisis spokesman Kasper Roug (S). In DR, there is agreement in part of the criticism and informs that a campaign is underway.

Warning: This article was translated by a Large Language Model, in case of doubt, you can always visit the original source.