Christian Wenande
November 18th, 2020

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Just a few weeks ago, the government was riding high on its immense popularity among Danes regarding its handling of the Coronavirus Crisis.

Now winter has arrived for Mette Frederiksen’s team, and the tide has turned. 

The food minister, Mogens Jensen, announced moments ago that he has stepped down with immediate effect.

Jensen has been under immense pressure following his contentious handling of the presence of COVID-19 in Danish mink farms.

More precisely, it is the government’s decision on November 4 to cull the entire mink population in Denmark without legal basis that has led to Jensen’s ministerial demise.

READ ALSO: Danish mink farmers stand to lose billions

Mistakes were made
“As I can clearly see that I no longer have the necessary support among a majority of the parties in Parliament, I have informed the prime minister today that I wish to step out of the government,” Jensen said.

As part of his departure message, Jensen admitted that his ministry had made a series of mistakes in connection with the culling of the mink.

“I apologise for that once again and take responsibility for it. I particularly want to apologise to the many mink farmers who are facing such an unhappy situation,” he said.

Yesterday, the government finally landed the legal grounds to continue with the ongoing mink cull. 

But for Jensen, it’s been too little, too late and Denmark’s mink fur industry will need years to rebuild.