The coalition Conservative Party says it has no plans to change Denmark’s current rule stipulating that Danish nationals must be at least 24 years of age before a marriage to a foreign spouse enables a family reunion, or that the rule should apply to certain nationalities.

The Danish People’s Party, which is the government’s parliamentary safety net, has recently proposed that the age should be increased to 28.

“We have no plans to increase the rule to 28. And we have no plans to point to certain nationalities. You cannot say that there is one rule regarding arranged marriages for people from one country, and another rule for arranged marriages for people from another country,” says Conservative Integration Spokesman Naser Khader.

Khader adds that many Muslims live in Australia, where there are arranged marriages, but that does not mean that you can immediately stop all family reunions for all Australians.

“We currently evaluate each family reunion individually, and we should continue to do so,” Khader says, adding that Denmark cannot stop all arranged marriages as some couples come to the country through Sweden, using the EU’s labour mobility rules.

At the same time, Khader says, there is no documentation showing that there would be fewer arranged marriages if the age was increased to 28.

“If that was the case, you might just as well increase the age to 30. People must be able to start a family,” Khader says.

The opposition Social Democratic Party has also reacted against the Danish People’s Party proposal.

“It’s a strange proposal as it has nothing to do with solving a problem, but rather about being more restrictive,” Social Democratic Integration Spokesman Henrik Dam Kristensen recently told Politiken.

“It’ll never be enough for them. What about 35 years of age, or 100?” he says, adding the proposal was a political stunt.