A local chairman of Liberal Alliance in Ringsted has left the party in protest against its support for Denmark’s new law tightening nitrogen rules for farmers.
Henrik Thomsen was until a few days ago local chairman of Liberal Alliance in Ringsted. DR reports that he has now resigned his membership in protest, saying the distance to the parliamentary group is too long.
The trigger is the new law that tightens requirements on nitrogen leaching from farmland. The legislation has created deep and open splits in Venstre, and it is now also causing tremors inside Liberal Alliance.
DR asked Liberal Alliance leader Alex Vanopslagh to comment on the resignation, but he declined. He referred the broadcaster to party secretary and organizational chairman Jakob Rixen, who sent a written comment by email.
Rixen wrote that it is regrettable when individual members leave, but that every party contains many different views. He added that Liberal Alliance is not seeing more resignations than normal around votes that attract heavy attention.
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Doubts about the evidence
Thomsen, who is a hobby farmer, told DR’s P1 Morgen that the criticism is widespread in the party’s ranks. According to him, a number of Liberal Alliance members around the country are uncomfortable with the decision. Rixen said he does not recognize that picture.
Thomsen said the party is adding its votes to legislation he considers based on guesswork. He argued that no precise measurements exist of agriculture’s actual share, and pointed to wastewater as a significant source.
He has been a member since Liberal Alliance was founded. Being fact based has been part of the party’s DNA, he said, and in this case he believes the party has ended up on a side track.
Party points to 70 percent figure
On that part of the criticism, Liberal Alliance referred DR to the speech given by environment and nature spokesman Ole Birk Olesen at the bill’s first reading. Olesen confirmed there that the party supports the stricter regulation of nitrogen from farm fields.
Olesen said Denmark’s inner waters are hit by oxygen depletion, algae growth and fish deaths. According to him, the best expert estimate is that 70 percent of the nitrogen in those waters comes from Danish agriculture.
Researchers at Aarhus University concluded that 69.6 percent of nitrogen discharge originates from farming. Olesen argued that improving the poor condition of the inner waters requires action on agricultural nitrogen emissions.
