“Appalling”, “un-Danish” and “undemocratic”: Opposition parties call for explanation from S and V

Neither the Social Democrats nor the Liberals will comment on whether it is okay to offer money to a member of parliament to get the elected official to give up his or her mandate.

Undemocratic, un-Danish and downright disappointing.

These are some of the words that representatives from the opposition use when describing the actions of the Social Democrats and the Liberal Democrats on the question of whether it is okay to offer money to a member of parliament to get the politician to give up his mandate.

Eight opposition parties are in no doubt. In the Folketing’s Rules of Procedure Committee, a united opposition – which has a majority in the committee – decided to “initiate work that will result in clear rules”, as it is formulated in a report.

For the opposition, the goal is to “make it clear that it is prohibited to promise, offer or give financial benefits to get a member to give up their mandate – and that it should also be prohibited to attempt it.”

It has now become a task for the lawyers of the Danish Parliament.

Sage short

Purchase of mandate

In June, Mads Brügger published the book ‘It Costs a Mandate’.

In the book and on the Letter of Indemnity, it was revealed, based on audio files, that Lars Løkke Rasmussen and other top figures in the Moderates in 2023 were part of a meeting where the member of parliament Mike Fonseca was offered 370,000 kroner to leave the Folketing.

This happened after it emerged that Mike Fonseca had a relationship with a then 15-year-old girl.

Lars Løkke Rasmussen has denied that the practice is illegal.

However, three parties are not found on the list of supporters of that task in the report from the Folketing’s Committee on Rules of Procedure: the Social Democrats, the Liberal Party, the Moderates.

They would rather, as the report says, encourage the administration of the Folketing to investigate the advantages and disadvantages of regulation in the area of mandate buying.

It was remarkable, says Mette Abildgaard from the Conservative People’s Party.

“I think it’s remarkable. These are old, traditional parties that are well aware that it’s a slip-up if something like this is allowed, but in loyalty to a government partner they stand where they do.”

At the meeting of the Rules of Procedure Committee, she made a special observation about the government parties:

“They showed up in large numbers, but I’ve rarely heard them be so quiet,” she says, adding:

“I can just imagine how they step over their own toes for not saying what they mean.”

Rystende

When Politiken went looking for answers last week as to why the three government parties did not agree with the opposition parties’ concerns, there were no comments.

Now, over a week later, Politiken is again trying to get an answer from the three governing parties. Is it okay to offer money to a member of parliament to get the politician to give up his mandate?

However, it would turn out to be more difficult than it seemed.

On Radio 4, the Liberal Party’s acting political spokesman, Christoffer Melson, referred to the Moderates on Thursday morning for an answer to the Liberal Party’s position on the issue. In the same program, his Social Democratic colleague, Christian Rabjerg Madsen, answers the question:

“In principle, it is the voters who should compose the Folketing. I don’t think it can be any surprise that I think that.”

Christian Rabjerg Madsen further says that he does not have much insight into the matter, but “it is an advantage to do some reflection and do some research before saying that new legislation is needed.”

The Social Democrats’ press service informed Politiken that they had no comment on the matter.

The same message came from the Liberal Party’s press service, which could not find a member of parliament with the courage to explain the party’s position.

Peter Skaarup from the Danish Democrats is, to say the least, disappointed with the Social Democrats and the Liberal Democrats.

“It is appalling that the government parties do not immediately support a clear ban on buying seats. The fact that they will not explain why seems undemocratic and un-Danish to me,” he says.

“They need to come out of their summer hibernation and explain themselves. The impression you’re left with is that they actually just have a hard time arguing against the proposal.”

To Ritzau, the Moderates’ group chairman, Henrik Frandsen, has expressed that the opposition parties’ decision to assign the Folketing’s lawyers to examine models for legislation “seems a bit like a hoax.”

He points out that the proposal would affect Danish politicians who are offered jobs in, for example, the foreign service.

The moderators have not yet responded to Politiken’s inquiries.

Villads Znaty