Pelle Dragsted: I see nothing right-wing about being able to defend one’s country

It is necessary to build a strong territorial defense to be able to resist threats, believes Pelle Dragsted.

On Sunday, there will be an expected heated debate when the Red-Green Alliance’s annual meeting will debate a proposal from the central board regarding the party’s defense and security policy.

But even though political spokesperson Pelle Dragsted has already announced before the annual meeting that the party is ready to spend the money on defense and security that is necessary, this does not mean that the party is toeing the government’s line.

“I was asked by journalists leading up to the annual meeting whether this means that the Unity Party is moving to the right. And my answer is a clear no. There is nothing right-wing about being able to defend your own country,” says Pelle Dragsted on Saturday from the podium in Hafnia-Hallen in Valby:

“Not at all in a time when far-right forces are gaining ground. On the contrary, it is part of our socialist heritage to stand up and speak out against far-right and authoritarian forces.”

The political rapporteur has criticized the fact that the government has announced its readiness to spend up to five percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) on things related to defense and security.

3.5 percent will be spent directly on defense, while the remaining 1.5 percent is expected to be spent on things related to it, such as investments in cybersecurity. This is expected to be the future strength goal of the defense alliance NATO.

The Unity Party instead wants to have an analysis of what is needed economically for Denmark to build a territorial defense that can defend our country and allies.

There are enough threats according to Pelle Dragsted.

“We are in dangerous times. Authoritarian, perhaps even fascist forces are on the rise. In Ukraine, the population is fighting Putin’s war machine for the third year. In Palestine, Benjamin Netanyahu continues a genocidal war against Palestinian civilians. And in the United States, Trump is back. More dangerous and more aggressive than ever before,” he says:

“They all have one thing in common: they are 100 percent indifferent to international law and justice.”

ritzau