Troels Lund: Preben Bang would not be loyal to the majority
You must support the majority when you leave the group meeting room, says the Venstre leader.
Preben Bang Henriksen, who has been a member of parliament for 15 years, was expelled from Venstre today. (Photo: © Mads Claus Rasmussen, Ritzau Scanpix)
By Laura Kirkebæk-Johansson ( [email protected] ) 1 minute ago
What on paper looked like an ordinary meeting of Venstre's parliamentary group turned into yet another dramatic day for the party.
At the meeting, party leader Troels Lund Poulsen wanted a commitment that all members would in future vote with the group, a mandate the unanimous main board gave him over the weekend.
Read also: Preben Bang finished in Venstre after dramatic day ( https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/politik/reels/preben-bang-faerdig-i-venstre-efter-dramatisk-dag )
But longtime member Preben Bang Henriksen could not give that promise.
Therefore, an extraordinary group meeting was subsequently called, where through a written vote it was decided that Preben Bang Henriksen would be excluded from the group and thus also expelled from the party.
The party leadership will not disclose how many voted for and against.
- At today's group meeting, Preben Bang Henriksen announced that he will not be loyal to the decisions adopted by a majority in Venstre's parliamentary group, said Troels Lund Poulsen at a subsequent press conference.
- Therefore, Preben Bang Henriksen himself has decided that he does not want to be part of Venstre's voluntary and binding community.
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Five voted against the party line
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Preben Bang Henriksen was one of the five Venstre members who in early September voted against the party line when the controversial fertilizer law was to be passed.
So did Søren Gade, who left parliament last week ( https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/politik/soeren-gade-stopper-i-folketinget ) due to the internal split in the party over that very fertilizer law.
Anni Matthiesen, Peter Juel-Jensen and Amanda Heitmann, who also voted against the law, have today promised to follow the party line in the future.
Read also: 'If you look like a doormat, you have to accept that people step on you' ( https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/politik/jeg-skal-redde-mig-selv-det-var-det-jeg-gjorde-i-soendags )
According to Troels Lund Poulsen, there is "still room" for an "open and vigorous debate in Venstre's parliamentary group."
But you must "support the majority when you leave the group meeting room," he says.
Troels Lund Poulsen's hope is that Venstre's parliamentary group will in future march more in step, reports DR's political analyst Jens Ringberg.
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'Devastating' months for Venstre
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Earlier this month, a poll showed record-low support for Venstre ( https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/politik/historisk-lavpunkt-endnu-en-katastrofal-maaling-venstre ). Only 5.8 percent of voters would put a cross next to the party if they were to vote in an election.
Despite the recent turmoil and poor polls, Troels Lund Poulsen still believes he is the right person to lead Venstre.
- I believe that I am the right chairman to take Venstre forward, he says.
However, Troels Lund Poulsen acknowledges that the last two months have taken a toll on the party.
- The political discussions we have had over the past few months have been devastating for Venstre.
Read also: Historic low point – yet another catastrophic poll for Venstre ( https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/politik/historisk-lavpunkt-endnu-en-katastrofal-maaling-venstre )
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Will not vote 'in violation of the constitution'
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Preben Bang Henriksen said after the group meeting that he would not "deposit his vote with a majority in the group."
- Partly because it is in violation of the constitution, and partly because it would mean I would not know what to vote in the future, he said.
Section 56 of the constitution states, among other things, that "members of parliament are bound only by their own convictions." In practice, however, it is the case in all parties that a line is usually set at a group meeting, which members follow when they vote in the chamber.
Bang Henriksen will continue in parliament as an independent and according to his own statement has "no plans at the moment" to join another party.
Venstre's parliamentary group now has 17 seats.
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