With just one month left until the EU parliamentary elections, Alternativet is facing a major challenge as they do not seem to be able to secure a seat. Despite this, lead candidate Jan Kristoffersen remains optimistic and is ready to give it his all in the final stretch of the campaign. During Alternativet’s national congress in Odense, where Jan Kristoffersen’s face adorned many of the campaign posters, he acknowledged that the party is still struggling to break through in the public debate. Kristoffersen, who works as a political advisor and has previously run as a candidate in both national and EU elections, is still relatively unknown to the general public.
Alternativet, which did not win a seat in the last EU election in 2019, has this year focused on policies such as the legalization of cannabis and the introduction of a universal basic income at the EU level. Kristoffersen points out that there is broad support in the Danish population for the legalization of cannabis, but that resistance from certain parties in the Danish Parliament has hindered progress. Therefore, the party is now looking towards the EU, where they hope to influence legislation on a larger scale. “All studies show that there is a majority in the Danish population. It is only a few parties that are against,” says Kristoffersen, adding that if they cannot achieve changes through the Danish parliament, they will try to do so through the EU.
In addition to the cannabis policy, Alternativet is also working to introduce a universal basic income throughout the EU and to create sustainable, social, and green trade agreements with the rest of the world. Kristoffersen emphasizes the importance of spreading these initiatives globally to create a “global gear shift”. With the election just around the corner and many voters still undecided, Kristoffersen believes “100 percent” that Alternativet will gain representation in the EU Parliament for the first time. If the party is elected, they plan to join the Green group and continue their cooperation in the electoral alliance with the Social Democrats and Socialist People’s Party.