Majority want party switchers to relinquish mandate

A substantial majority of Danes believe that members of Parliament (MPs) should leave their mandate with the original party if they switch parties during a term, according to a survey by Epinion for DR. In the survey, 69% of respondents felt MPs should step down and pass their mandate to another from the same party upon switching. This sentiment comes amidst a growing trend of MPs keeping their positions after changing parties; since 2022, 17 MPs have left their party, with 11 retaining their mandates. Voters may feel betrayed when MPs switch, as it misrepresents their vote, explains Professor Kasper Møller Hansen. Recent examples include Christian Friis Bach shifting from Radikale Venstre to Venstre, Mads Fuglede moving from Venstre to Danmarksdemokraterne, and others changing parties within the current term.