Inger Stojberg after the ruling in the Danish Supreme Court

With the conviction in Denmark’s High Court, it was conceivable that Inger Stojberg’s time as a politician would be a closed chapter. Only the fact that a former minister has appeared before a national court is unusual – it has only happened six times in the country’s history. She has now also been sentenced to an unconditional 60-day prison sentence which is quite unique.

But in the case of the controversial former Minister for Immigration and Integration, the ruling could be a hole in the career ladder. In the midst of an ongoing trial, a new job offer suddenly appeared: to become the new party leader of the Danish People’s Party.

The anti-immigration party has been in crisis since current party leader Christian Tholsen Dahl announced his resignation in mid-November after a disastrous mayoral election. Since then, the party has courted its intended heir. The party’s leading figure and powerful lady, Pia Kiersgaard, was on hand for support when the High Court negotiations against Inger Stojberg ended.

Inger Stojberg is not even a member The Danish People’s Party has a track record of several controversial immigration policy proposals that the party might like.

During her tenure as Minister for Immigration and Integration Affairs in the bourgeois government of Lars Lok Rasmussen 2015-2019, she was able to introduce a number of controversial laws. The so-called “jewelry law” which gives Danish authorities the right to confiscate jewelry from refugees, for example. Or the handshake requirement, which means that anyone who wants to become a Danish citizen must first prove their Danish identity by shaking hands with an official at a public ceremony.

Even more remarkable, save for yesterday’s ruling, she may still have snapped the cake photos she posted on Facebook after presenting her 50th austerity on the merger.

after conviction Many Danish commentators and political scientists believe that Støjberg, colored by his stern style of leadership, will be seen as a martyr rather than a criminal. During the trial, support for her was great and many supporters were on site outside the court to demonstrate.

Now Folketing will vote on whether she can remain a political savage. You can already guess the position of the Danish People’s Party. in a Comment for Radio Danmarks Deputy party leader Morten Messerschmidt says he believes Stojberg has been punished enough and that no one should “deprive her of her dignity”.

In other words, the door is open. And if it were to close against all odds, there are even more possibilities. Perhaps among the National Conservatives is Nye borgerlige – the relatively new party that portrays itself as more critical of immigration than the Danish People’s Party.

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Danish ex-minister sentenced to 60 days in prison