On Monday, Irina Bjørnø, former EU Parliament candidate for Alternativet (Alternative), announced that she is withdrawing her candidacy. This comes after significant media attention surrounding her role in an association with ties to a Russian state-controlled organization on the EU sanctions list. “The media interest in my person and background should not stand in the way of the sustainable future I believe in, so I have chosen to withdraw as an EU Parliament candidate,” states Bjørnø in a press release from the party. Ekstra Bladet reported on her chairmanship in an association that, according to them, receives support from the mentioned Russian organization. However, Alternativet informs that the association has been inactive since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The party’s executive committee has investigated the matter and consulted a relevant authority, which did not find cause for concern. Despite the executive committee’s continued trust in Bjørnø, she has chosen to step down to avoid potential harm to the party. Although her name will still appear on the ballot for the upcoming EU Parliament election in Denmark, she has the option to resign if elected.
Irina Bjørnø, originally from Russia, has been living in Denmark since 1993. Jan Kristoffersen is now the lead candidate for Alternativet, followed by Karoline Lindgaard, who is studying political science at the University of Copenhagen. The election will take place on June 9th.