Venstre leader Troels Lund Poulsen says the party will not leave the green tripartite agreement while he is chairman, rejecting demands from an internal farming revolt.
Poulsen set out the position in a post on X on Sunday, as described in an analysis by DR. He wrote that leaving the tripartite deal will not become Venstre’s policy under his leadership. The message was aimed at party members who want Venstre out of the nitrogen law.
Regional broadcaster TV SYD also reported the post on Sunday, August 30, 2026. By that account, it is ruled out that Venstre exits the green tripartite agreement as long as Poulsen leads the party. DR’s analysis notes that he is effectively placing his chairmanship behind the course he has set.
According to DR, Venstre is negotiating targeted easings with the government and the other parties behind the law. The party leadership hopes the concessions can calm tempers in its own ranks. DR adds that this is unlikely to move MP Søren Gade, who is not expected to vote for the law.
Rural and urban voters
During the general election campaign, pig production and clean drinking water were central themes, DR notes. Venstre was criticized for being close to agricultural interests and was wiped out in the capital. In the two weeks after the election, while serving as royal investigator, Troels Lund Poulsen declared Venstre’s support for a national pesticide ban.
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DR describes that as a signal that Poulsen wants a stronger green profile and a broader voter base, including in the cities. Competition for rural voters is described as intense from Danmarksdemokraterne and increasingly from Dansk Folkeparti. DF chairman Morten Messerschmidt has urged all the blue bloc parties to reject the nitrogen law.
The balance between rural and urban Denmark is a difficult one for Venstre, which is traditionally tied to farming. Few voters are farmers, but many farmers hold positions in Venstre’s organization and among the party’s mayors, per DR’s analysis. The conflict is described as a clash between the classic Venstre and a more modern one.
Poulsen has called his ambition a liberal welfare party with wider appeal. DR’s analysis states that his firm line also signals that he believes the party majority is behind him.
