Founder of Danish environmentalist party announces resignation

Elbæk announced his decision via a letter to party members, media in Denmark including DR report.

A successor to the 65-year-old party leader is yet to be decided upon.

“I’m proud of what we have achieved together since Alternative first saw the light of day 6 years and 19 days ago,” Elbæk said the letter, referring to the party’s 2013 foundation.

“I very much want to continue working on our project together. But for my part, it will be in a different role. As a member of parliament, member of Alternative, as an activist with a desire to create a better world,” he continued in the email.

Elbæk founded Alternative in 2013 together with Josephine Fock. At the time, Elbæk was an independent member of parliament, having left the Social Liberal party two months prior.

The newly-formed green party achieved strong results at the 2015 general election, gaining 9 seats and 4.8 percent of the vote in its first-ever general election, but was reduced to 3 percent and 5 seats in 2019.

Prior to this year’s election, Elbæk had announced he would no longer align Alternative with either of the tradition right- and left-wing ‘blocs’ of parliamentary allies, instead putting himself forward as a prime ministerial candidate.

Alternative’s party members are to choose a new leader to take over from Elbæk at the party’s extraordinary national congress on February 1st, DR writes.

READ ALSO: Denmark’s green party wants smoother path to citizenship