Liberal Alliance's business policy aims to promote growth, innovation, and a more flexible labor market. For Odense Municipality, there are currently several concerning aspects in these areas. While cities such as Aalborg, Aarhus, and Copenhagen are experiencing a marked increase in employment, Odense unfortunately ranks near the bottom of the statistics.

This is naturally not good for the municipality's economy. According to the Danish Chamber of Commerce, employment rose by 3,500 people in Aarhus and 1,800 in Aalborg, while Odense experienced a drop of 550 people in the period from March 2023 to March 2024.

This places Odense among the municipalities with the largest decline in employment during the period.

In the other major cities, it is primarily export-driven companies that have fueled growth, but Odense is not really represented there. The business structure on Funen features few companies with a high export share, which means we quickly feel the impact when consumers hold back.

In the latest 2024 report from the Ministry of Industry, Business and Financial Affairs on business development in Denmark, it is clearly indicated that companies on Funen have a substantial need for skilled labor across virtually all industries.

The current business policy has been insufficient for too many years, and there is therefore a need for new forces and new visions.

With Novo Nordisk as a new player, there is a fantastic opportunity for development, but we must not overlook the already existing companies either.

According to Fynsk Erhverv, Odense is currently lacking commercial land for industrial production. In Odense West, several companies wish to expand, but they face obstacles in the form of a lack of space.

We are not well-prepared for this new opportunity—neither for Novo Nordisk nor for other companies—and we lag behind too often. We need to change that.