Copenhagen Mayor Frank Jensen resigns after persistent stories of pawing. He is the most important person to leave the field now that MeToo has also reached Denmark.
59-year-old Jensen, mayor for ten years and before that minister, is known as a politician who loves parties, says correspondent Rolien Créton. “He had already been discredited a few times in recent years because he had touched colleagues. But in recent days more and more women came out with their story.”
At first, Jensen seemed to get away with apologies. He went through the dust on Facebook. “There is an unhealthy culture, also in politics. I was a big part of it myself, but I started to think about my own behavior. I realize I made a mistake.”
Shocking announcement
Jensen apologized and said he would do his part by speaking openly about sexism, power and sexual harassment. But that was not enough: MeToo has been high on the agenda in Denmark since last month.
“It all started when TV presenter Sofie Linde unexpectedly told her story in an award show,” Créton explains. She said that as an 18-year-old intern she was told by a TV boss that he would sabotage her career unless she gave him oral pleasure. She looked straight into the camera and said, ‘You know what you did’. “
The broadcaster would still be employed, although it is not known who it concerns. Linde’s action resulted in an open letter from hundreds of colleagues. “We all know it: the inappropriate comments about our clothes, suggestive massages, transgressive behavior, the warnings of which men to avoid at parties. It happened and it still happens.”
More layoffs?
Prime Minister Frederiksen immediately said that he would no longer tolerate this behavior. The party leader of a coalition partner already resigned earlier, now she refused to keep fellow party member Jensen out of the wind. Créton: “When she no longer wanted to support the mayor, he had no choice but to leave.”
Créton suspects that more layoffs will follow, such as the Minister of Foreign Affairs. “He once had sex with a 15-year-old girl at the age of 34. That is not punishable because the age limit is 15, but because he was already a powerful politician and he met her at a party of the young Social Democrats, he can the problems come. “
“He was allowed to stay a few years ago, but he may be in trouble now.”
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