Jon Stephensen revealed in an interview that he was offered 1.3 million kroner by leaders of the Moderates to resign from his mandate, which he declined.
In an interview with Ekstra Bladet, Jon Stephensen stated that in August 2023, senior figures within the Moderates party offered him a substantial sum of 1.3 million kroner to relinquish his parliamentary mandate. The offer came while he was on unpaid leave from the Folketing following several scandals that had marred his reputation. Despite the tempting financial proposition, Stephensen refused, asserting his attachment to his mandate and questioning the motives behind the offer.
Stephensen recounted that he had been approached by a mutual acquaintance regarding the offer, which he deemed "an enormously bad deal" for himself. He emphasized the importance of his mandate and expressed his surprise at the suggestion to give it up for money, highlighting the ethical implications of such a proposition. Following the scandal and controversy surrounding his conduct, Stephensen was eventually expelled from the Moderates party, subsequently serving as an independent member of the Folketing.
The Moderates have not publicly commented on the claims as of yet, with DR attempting to secure a statement from the party. This incident raises questions about the ethical practices within political parties in Denmark and the lengths to which they may go to manage their representation in parliament, especially in light of internal turmoil and scandals.
