Danish politician remains unfazed after party expulsion over cannabis controversy
Cecilie Liv Hansen, a newly elected independent member of Denmark’s parliament, says she has “not thought much” about her recent expulsion from the Liberal Alliance party, despite losing her affiliation just days after winning a seat with the party’s sixth-highest personal vote count.
The 24-year-old politician, who retains her triple mandate in the Folketing (national parliament), Kolding City Council, and the Region of Southern Denmark, spoke to public broadcaster DR after attending committee meetings in her role as a city councillor.
“I’ve actually not thought much about it,” Hansen said of her expulsion. “I’m trying to move forward and focus on my political work and settle into my new workplace.”
Hansen was elected two weeks ago with 2,569 personal votes in the South Jutland constituency but was expelled from Liberal Alliance four days later. The party accused her of lying about her knowledge of her boyfriend’s cannabis sales—a claim she has previously addressed on social media but declined to revisit in the interview.
“I stand by what I’ve said and how I’ve acted,” she stated, adding that she sees no reason to handle the situation differently in hindsight.
No clear political priorities
As an independent MP, Hansen will not join any parliamentary committees, limiting her primary role to floor debates. She admitted she has not yet identified specific policy areas to prioritise.
“I don’t know if there’s anything concrete,” she said. “I have many interests, but it’s hard to say right now what I’ll focus on.”
While she holds three political positions, Hansen noted that managing her time has become easier without party obligations. “I’ve gotten quite good at coordinating my own schedule and knowing what’s feasible,” she said.
No contact with former party or others
Hansen confirmed she has had no contact with Liberal Alliance since her departure and no discussions with established parliamentary parties. She revealed only that “a couple” of newly formed, unknown political projects had reached out to her.
On the question of who should become Denmark’s next prime minister—with elections set for 24 March—she emphasised policy over personality: “The individual isn’t decisive for me. The key is that it’s a centre-right [‘blue bloc’] prime minister.”
Hansen’s term in the Folketing begins amid ongoing scrutiny of her past statements, though she maintains the controversy is “a closed matter.”
Source: DR