What is happening?

The Danish Patient Safety Authority made a work force with doctors and experts that was meant to create a new guide on how to circumcise boys more safe. Many of those doctors and experts left that work force in protest, because The Danish Patient Safety Authority demanded that the circumcision-act had to be done with a local anesthesia and many from that work force thought that was irresponsible and not cohesive with their expertise. Some of the doctors and experts of that work force thought that ritual circumcision was against The Hippocratic oath; primun non nocere (Do no harm). That was what started the debate.

What does the parliament and public think?

86% of the danish public are in favor of a ban of circumcision of boys under 18.

Meanwhile in the danish parliament. Because 107 of the 179 MP's are not in favor of a ban. (Previously 123 MP's, but one party with 16 MP's changed their opinion on it and are now in favor of a ban).

You need 90 votes to get a law through in the danish parliament.

What arguments do those, who are not in favor for a ban, use?

The main arguments against a ban is that circumcision is a deeply ingrained tradition for muslims and jews and it is not up to the parliament to legislate against such an important ritual.

Member of parliament for Venstre (Second largest party), Mads Fuglede, writes on Facebook:

"In my world, one of the greatest gift you can give your child is a faith and a religious affiliation. For many jews that involves circumcision, which is just as important for them, as baptism is for me as a christian. I will never vote for a ban, which de facto can make it impossible to live as a religious jew in Denmark.

Former Prime Minister and now MP from Venstre, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, writes on Twitter:

"Brave and necessary message from this countries bishops today (ref): We must not make the worlds first and only ban against ritual circumcision of boys! 77 years after October 1943 must we not force danish jews to flee again. I will never vote for that."

The prime minister and member of the Social Democrats (Largest party) said today:

"For many jews will it not be possible to practice their religion and stay in the danish society, if a legislation against it gets through.

She continues: "We are in debt to the jews".

She continues to speak nonsense: "You can not detach it (read: jewish persecution) from Denmarks and Europe's history. Europe's history is a history with jewish persecution. There has been that through hundreds of years. Most Danes know the story about anti-antisemitism. It all goes back to 1930 and 1940 with systematic slaughter, with genocide, with Holocaust. That is unfortunately Europe's history."

What else has happend?

One of the largest debate programmes on danish television, Deadline, made a tweet asking the public to help them find a MP willing to go in TV and share their view on the issue, because they failed to find one that was willing to do so.

As this issue gets more public attention, more MP's are now going on television and debating.

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Just to make it clear; The topic that people are debating are not a total ban of circumcision, but an age limit of 18, so the individual can make the choice for him/herself.