Danish Deputy Prime Minister Resigns, To Leave Politics

Danish Deputy Prime Minister Jakob Ellemann-Jensen said Monday he was retiring from politics, just months after he returned from a six-month leave due to stress and overwork.

His resignation will also mean he steps down as leader of the liberal Venstre party, which is part of Denmark’s ruling coalition party.

“The short version: I am quitting Danish politics completely and permanently today,” Ellemann-Jensen, who is also economy minister, told a press conference.

Venstre has seen opinion poll numbers drop since it entered a coalition government led by Social Democrat Mette Frederiksen.

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Ellemann-Jensen said that his personality overshadowed the party’s results in government, and had become a hindrance to the party’s ability to “move forward.”

“Therefore, I am taking the consequences now and stepping down as chairman,” he said.

At the beginning of August, Ellemann-Jense — who has been a member of parliament since 2011 — returned from a six-month leave that he had taken “to unplug” on the advice of his doctor, citing stress and overwork.

Party colleague and defence minister Troels Lund Poulsen will take over his responsibilities in government.

Venstre vice chairman Stephanie Lose will take over organisational duties for the party, until the election of a new party leader at the party annual conference in November.

AFP