Danish parliament ousts convicted ex-immigration minister

COPENHAGEN, Denmark — The Danish parliament has voted to oust a erstwhile migration curate who earlier this period was convicted by a seldom utilized impeachment tribunal successful Denmark, saying Inger Stoejberg is not worthy of serving arsenic a subordinate of Denmark’s 179-seat legislative assembly.

In Tuesday’ 98-18 ballot with 1 abstention and 62 absentees, lawmakers ejected Stoejberg, who connected Dec. 13 was sentenced to 60 days successful jailhouse implicit a 2016 bid to abstracted asylum-seeking couples erstwhile 1 of the partners was a minor.

Stoejberg attended the parliament league and was the azygous abstention successful the vote. Anti-immigration, populist lawmakers opposed her removal.

The tribunal had recovered her blameworthy for “intentionally oregon done gross negligence neglecting the duties” of her bureau and providing parliament” with incorrect oregon misleading information.” Stoejberg’ unit members had warned her that the signifier was unlawful.

Stoejberg who has maintained her innocence passim the proceedings that started Sept. 2, said she initiated the argumentation of separating minors from their partners retired of concerns the relationships whitethorn person progressive forced marriages. Twenty-three couples were divided up earlier the argumentation was halted months later.

She served arsenic curate for immigration, integration and lodging from 2015 to 2019 arsenic portion of Denmark’s erstwhile center-right government. Considered an migration hard-liner, Stoejberg spearheaded the tightening of Denmark’s asylum and migration rules.

In enactment with the rules, Stoejberg walked retired of the Folketing assembly waving to lawmakers.

“I bash not deliberation you should expect the precise past to beryllium said connected my part,” Stoejberg said.

Stoejberg was ousted from the existent assembly but could, if she wants, tally for a spot successful the adjacent parliamentary vote, which indispensable beryllium held astatine latest June 4, 2023. She has not indicated whether she volition bash so.

The Court of Impeachment, which adjudicates cases successful which authorities ministers are accused of unlawful misconduct and misuse of office, had not been utilized since 1995.