Despite political turmoil, Citizens’ Party’s sole council member remains confident in party’s future

The Citizens’ Party has faced months of internal strife and defections since the general election, but its only remaining municipal council member insists the party still has a future.

Ib Poulsen, the party’s sole council representative in Thisted Municipality, acknowledged the recent turmoil but said he remains confident in the party’s direction. “Of course it hasn’t been pleasant to watch,” Poulsen told DR Nyheder, referring to the departures of three of the party’s four MPs. “It’s unfortunate that Lars Boje [Mathiesen] is now alone in representing the party’s positions.”

The Citizens’ Party, which entered parliament with four seats after the last election, has seen its ranks dwindle to just one—party leader Lars Boje Mathiesen—after Nadja Natalie Isaksen, Jacob Harris, and Emilie Schytte all left. Harris was expelled, while Schytte resigned with sharp criticism of Mathiesen’s leadership.

Despite commentators describing the party as “imploding,” Poulsen—who previously served in parliament and local government for the Danish People’s Party—said he believes the setbacks are temporary. “The politics are right. We’re just in a rough patch,” he said. “I’ve been through this with a party before. You can overcome it by focusing on policy again.”

Poulsen remains the party’s only elected representative outside the national parliament.