Society

Citizen initiative on surrogacy reaches 50,000 signatures: the Danish Parliament will now have to discuss it

A citizen initiative aiming to allow medical assistance for altruistic surrogacy has gathered over 50,000 signatures in Denmark, reaching the threshold that requires it to be debated in the Folketinget (the Danish Parliament).

Current rules on surrogacy in Denmark

Under current Danish law, it is legal for a woman to act as a surrogate (“rugemor” or “graviditetsvært”) and carry a child for someone else, provided it is done altruistically, without financial compensation. Intended parents can also be legally recognised as the child’s parents.

However, Danish healthcare professionals are prohibited from assisting with the fertilisation process in cases of surrogacy. This forces most Danish families who opt for surrogacy to seek help abroad, typically in countries like the United States, where medical staff can legally support the process.

The citizen proposal and its supporters

The current citizen proposal (borgerforslag), was initiated by seven Danish women who have all carried children as surrogates without economic compensation. One of them, Nanna Brandt, recently carried twins for a Danish couple, Frederik Haun and Morten Kjeldgaard, who became parents in September.

The proposal argues that since altruistic surrogacy is already allowed in Denmark and supported by the Danish Council on Ethics (Etisk Råd), there should also be a safe Danish framework enabling medical professionals to assist. The initiators hope this would spare families from the emotional and financial burden of travelling abroad and ensure clear, secure conditions for everyone involved.

What happens next

Now that the initiative has exceeded 50,000 valid signatures, the Folketinget is obliged to consider it. This does not guarantee that it will become law, but it ensures that the topic will be formally debated among Danish lawmakers.

The discussion comes amid growing public interest and several documentaries in Denmark on surrogacy, including “Far, far og børn” (DR1, 2025) and “I Mosters Mave” (TVmidtvest, 2025), which have highlighted personal stories and the ethical aspects of surrogacy arrangements.

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