A total of four cases have emerged that the Radical Left’s now resigned political leader Morten Østergaard has shown unwanted sexual contact towards women.
Three of the incidents are described in a statement about the party’s handling of the cases, which the Radical Left has published this week.
But through media and Facebook posts among others from Ida Auken, who is a member of parliament for the party, and who is currently on leave, more detailed accusations against Østergaard have emerged.
Here’s what we know about the cases:
* Almost ten years ago: Lotte Rod
– On 16 September this year, the radical Member of Parliament Lotte Rod writes on Facebook that she has been taken on in both Radikal Ungdom and Radikale Venstre. She does not mention any names.
– Subsequently, she says that she has, among other things, experienced getting a hand on her thigh, which was unwanted and which she removed.
– After a dramatic group meeting at Den Sorte Diamant on October 7, Morten Østergaard says that it was he who almost ten years ago put his hand on Lotte Rod’s thigh. He resigns as political leader of the party on the grounds that he had handled the matter poorly.
– Subsequently, Morten Østergaard writes on Facebook that he is aware of three further cases with women who have felt offended by him. They have been described in the party’s statement this week.
* Autumn 2015: Katrine Robsøe
– According to the statement, a then employee of the party’s secretariat experienced at a festive occasion in 2015 unwanted sexual attention from the then political leader Morten Østergaard.
– According to the statement, these were “inappropriate touches”.
– On Monday, Katrine Robsøe, who is the current Member of Parliament for the Radicals, stated that the case concerns her. In 2015, she was a student assistant in the party’s secretariat.
– In 2016, when she was no longer employed by the secretariat, she contacted the secretariat management about the case, according to the statement, with a view to Morten Østergaard being reprimanded for avoiding similar experiences for other employees.
* Summer 2016: An intern
– The party’s report describes that a then employee in the party’s secretariat on a festive occasion in the summer of 2016 experiences unwanted sexual contact from Morten Østergaard.
– According to BT’s information, it was a trainee who experienced that Morten Østergaard touched her several times.
– Later in 2016, when she was no longer an intern in the party, she went to the secretariat management with the case. Also with the purpose that Østergaard should be reprimanded.
* Summer 2017: Young woman at the Folkemødet
– According to De Radikale’s statement, “an intermediary” in the summer of 2017 tells the head of the secretariat that a woman has experienced unwanted sexual attention from Morten Østergaard on a festive occasion.
– The woman has been employed in the Radical Left’s secretariat, but is not at the time in question. It is stated by the intermediary that the woman does not want publicity about the inquiry.
– The case is being prosecuted against Morten Østergaard, who according to the statement does not express that the case is incorrect.
– Ida Auken, who is a sick member of parliament for the Radicals, wrote on Facebook on Wednesday that the situation unfolded at the People’s Meeting 2017, where Morten Østergaard groped a young woman.
– Ida Auken says that in 2017 she told Sofie Carsten Nielsen about the case.
– On Wednesday, Sofie Carsten Nielsen denies having been informed about the case and calls Auken’s accusations “false” and an “attempt to destabilize the party”.
Sources: The Radicals’ statement on complaints, BT, Ritzau.
But through media and Facebook posts among others from Ida Auken, who is a member of parliament for the party, and who is currently on leave, more detailed accusations against Østergaard have emerged.
Here’s what we know about the cases:
* Almost ten years ago: Lotte Rod
– On 16 September this year, the radical Member of Parliament Lotte Rod writes on Facebook that she has been taken on in both Radikal Ungdom and Radikale Venstre. She does not mention any names.
– Subsequently, she says that she has, among other things, experienced getting a hand on her thigh, which was unwanted and which she removed.
– After a dramatic group meeting at Den Sorte Diamant on October 7, Morten Østergaard says that it was he who almost ten years ago put his hand on Lotte Rod’s thigh. He resigns as political leader of the party on the grounds that he had handled the matter poorly.
– Subsequently, Morten Østergaard writes on Facebook that he is aware of three further cases with women who have felt offended by him. They have been described in the party’s statement this week.
* Autumn 2015: Katrine Robsøe
– According to the statement, a then employee of the party’s secretariat experienced at a festive occasion in 2015 unwanted sexual attention from the then political leader Morten Østergaard.
– According to the statement, these were “inappropriate touches”.
– On Monday, Katrine Robsøe, who is the current Member of Parliament for the Radicals, stated that the case concerns her. In 2015, she was a student assistant in the party’s secretariat.
– In 2016, when she was no longer employed by the secretariat, she contacted the secretariat management about the case, according to the statement, with a view to Morten Østergaard being reprimanded for avoiding similar experiences for other employees.
* Summer 2016: An intern
– The party’s report describes that a then employee in the party’s secretariat on a festive occasion in the summer of 2016 experiences unwanted sexual contact from Morten Østergaard.
– According to BT’s information, it was a trainee who experienced that Morten Østergaard touched her several times.
– Later in 2016, when she was no longer an intern in the party, she went to the secretariat management with the case. Also with the purpose that Østergaard should be reprimanded.
* Summer 2017: Young woman at the Folkemødet
– According to De Radikale’s statement, “an intermediary” in the summer of 2017 tells the head of the secretariat that a woman has experienced unwanted sexual attention from Morten Østergaard on a festive occasion.
– The woman has been employed in the Radical Left’s secretariat, but is not at the time in question. It is stated by the intermediary that the woman does not want publicity about the inquiry.
– The case is being prosecuted against Morten Østergaard, who according to the statement does not express that the case is incorrect.
– Ida Auken, who is a sick member of parliament for the Radicals, wrote on Facebook on Wednesday that the situation unfolded at the People’s Meeting 2017, where Morten Østergaard groped a young woman.
– Ida Auken says that in 2017 she told Sofie Carsten Nielsen about the case.
– On Wednesday, Sofie Carsten Nielsen denies having been informed about the case and calls Auken’s accusations “false” and an “attempt to destabilize the party”.
Sources: The Radicals’ statement on complaints, BT, Ritzau.
Source: The Nordic Page