Independent Member of Parliament Jon Stephensen’s participation in the Moderate party’s group meetings, despite no longer being a member, remains a point of contention. The Moderate party’s founder and chairman, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, has not provided a detailed explanation for this arrangement.

Rasmussen curtly stated that the decision was made in agreement with Stephensen but did not elaborate further when questioned about the reasoning behind it. Stephensen’s presence at the Moderate party’s group meeting on Tuesday underscores the unusual nature of the situation.

Stephensen was previously expelled from the party in August 2023, with Rasmussen stating that he had no future in the Moderate party or Danish politics. This decision followed a series of incidents that cast Stephensen in a negative light, including sending inappropriate messages to a young female member of Young Moderates.

The situation is further complicated by the fact that Rasmussen was abroad during Stephensen’s initial return to the group meetings on May 15, leaving group chairman Henrik Frandsen to address the issue. Frandsen denied that Stephensen’s presence meant he was a de facto member of the party again but acknowledged that he was involved in discussions and debates within the parliamentary group. Political observers have noted the rarity of such an arrangement.

Stephensen currently has a voting agreement with the government, and his support has been crucial in several instances, including helping Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities Lars Aagaard survive a vote of no confidence. Despite this, Young Moderates maintain their distrust of Stephensen.