The Slesvig Party has reaffirmed its support for Jørgen Popp Petersen, the mayor of Tønder Municipality, despite an ongoing police investigation related to his pig farm. The decision came after a meeting of the executive committee on Sunday, where the party expressed its continued confidence in Petersen as both mayor and their candidate for the upcoming municipal elections.

The police investigation stems from eight reports filed between 2019 and 2024 following inspections by the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration at Petersen’s pig farm near Løgumkloster. While the specific details of the reports are not publicly accessible due to the ongoing investigation, it has been revealed that one instance involved overcrowding of pigs in a pen.

The Slesvig Party acknowledges the seriousness of the matter, stating that the conditions at the farm were unacceptable. However, they emphasize that Petersen has taken full responsibility for the issues and has decided to discontinue pig production after 37 years. The party also noted that the latest inspection visit from the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration in 2024 resulted in no remarks.

“We acknowledge that Jørgen Popp Petersen has clearly and unequivocally taken ultimate responsibility and himself admitted that he is ultimately responsible for the property. This is crucial for us as a party,” the party stated.

Petersen himself has expressed remorse for the conditions at his farm. “I have ultimate responsibility for the mistakes that have been made, and I am sincerely sorry for the conditions that have been,” he said. He now wants to focus on his political work for Tønder Municipality.

The case has sparked debate about potentially granting the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration the authority to temporarily ban farmers from keeping animals in cases of neglect.

Petersen became mayor of Tønder in 2021, marking the first time in 75 years that the Slesvig Party held the mayoral position. He is seeking re-election in the upcoming municipal elections.