For over a year, Peter Seier Christensen, co-founder of the New Right (Nye Borgerlige) party, has been absent from the Danish Parliament (Folketinget) due to stress and subsequent cancer treatment. Now, the newly elected chairman of the New Right party, Martin Henriksen, is hopeful for Christensen’s comeback, which could revitalize the party’s presence in Danish politics. Henriksen expresses a mixture of hope and realism regarding Christensen’s potential return to politics.
“It is important to respect a person’s illness, and we are happy that Seier still feels connected to the New Right party. It is very valuable,” says Henriksen. However, he adds that the future is still uncertain, and it is unclear what exactly will happen. Earlier this year, the New Right party underwent significant changes when party founder Pernille Vermund left the party in favor of the Liberal Alliance, and Kim Edberg Andersen switched to the Denmark Democrats.
These changes led to the dissolution of the New Right party’s parliamentary group. Today, Peter Seier Christensen is an independent member of the Parliament, but he remains a member of the New Right party. According to Henriksen, there is ongoing dialogue with Christensen, who still plays an important role in the party’s foundation. The party hopes that his potential return can avoid the need to gather new declarations of support from voters in order to participate in the next parliamentary election.
Christensen’s health condition and his future in Danish politics remain an open question, but his potential influence on the New Right party’s future strategy and presence in the Parliament is undeniable.