MP Ulf Leirstein withdraws from the Progress Party, effective immediate
Norwegian Member of Parliament, Ulf Leirstein, withdraws from the Progress Party (Frp). Frp confirms, at the same time, that there is another case of sexual misconduct reported against him.
“After 30 years as a member, I have left the Progress Party today. It has been a tough and long process to arrive at this decision,” the MP posts on Facebook Friday morning.
NRK announces that there is another case of sexual misconduct reported against him.
“I can confirm that the Committee has received another notification against Ulf Leirstein. The notification stems from the same time period as the previous ones. It goes 7-8 years back in time,” Leader of the Organizational Committee of the Progress Party, Alf Erik Andersen, informs.
Leirstein, who represents Østfold in the Norwegian Parliament, thinks his party has achieved a lot of good in government, but that he now finds that too many compromises weaken the party too much.
“I believe the party needs a clearer Progress Party profile for it to manage over time,” he writes.
Wistful
Party leader Siv Jensen tells NTB in a comment that the 45-years-old has been an important politician for the Progress Party for a long time.
“I have known him since the 90s, and have worked well together with him. It is, therefore, wistful that he resigns,” she says among other things.
Mayor Candidate of Moss, Michael Torp, believes with Local Team Leader, Niklas Eriksen, that it is a wise decision of Leirstein to withdraw from the Progress Party.
“In cases like this, it is always best for a member to make the decision by himself. It saves both the party and person from too much unnecessary noise,” they write in a joint press release.
Ulf Leirstein currently holds no position in the Moss Progress Party and is not electable in 2019. The withdrawal will therefore not have any consequences for the party’s work or situation locally.
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Annus horriblis
Ulf Leirstein describes the last year as difficult.
“… characterized by constant media coverage, which is linked to a period of my life many years back, which I would have liked to see undone. I have expressed remorse more than once. The witch hunt, that my loved ones and I have been exposed to is not experienced to be proportional to what I have done and what I am accused of,” he asserts.
It became known In January last year that Leirstein in 2010 sent emails containing pornographic material to young boys who were active in the youth organization FpU. In addition, NRK reported of text messages Leirstein allegedly sent to a woman in which he suggested that the two should have a menage a tróis involving a then 15-years-old teenager.
Leirstein acknowledged shortly after that he had crossed the line and withdrew from all official positions in the Progress Party.
Wants things to calm down
The Norwegian Member of Parliament believes that the media are not aware of how his family and he have experienced the situation.
“To be a scapegoat in the media, and negative focus on other issues beyond my control, have been a strain. A strain that I don’t believe that the media is aware of the importance of for a family. I, therefore, withdraw from the Progress Party and hope that this can calm the situation for the party, my family and me.” MP Ulf Leirstein concludes on Facebook.
Ulf Leirstein takes a break from his positions
© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today
