On 18-19 September, Danish ALDE Party member Radikale Venstre convened for an in-person congress for the first time in two years, bringing together 600 party members and activists from across the country. The meeting comes ahead of the Danish local elections, set to take place on 16 November.

Members of European Parliament Morten Helveg Petersen and Karen Melchior, as well as European Commission Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager all delivered interventions during the congress.

In her speech, party leader Sofie Carsten Nielsen noted that the upcoming elections are an opportunity to champion change: “The world is calling us radicals more than ever. For it more than ever needs forces that think in new ways and set people free.”

She also underlined the importance of climate action, noting that not enough is done at the moment but sharing her optimism for the future.

“I believe that Denmark can become the first country in the world to implement a real green paradigm shift where we complete the green transition at home and can start helping the rest of the world in achieving their goals,” Carsten Nielsen said.

“Radikale Venstre is a movement with 116 years of experience in turning discouragement into hope. 116 years of experience in creating change that makes people’s lives better. 116 years of experience in setting people free to live lives that make sense to them. 116 years of experience in local, national, European and global engagement. Not either-or but both-and. And this is what we will offer Danes in November,” she concluded.

In her intervention, European Commission Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager reminded the audience of the importance of European democracy and talked about the importance of rebuilding our societies following the COVID-19 pandemic, among others.

You can read Sofie Carsten Nielsen’s speech in full here (in Danish)

You can rewatch the party congress in full here (in Danish)

Selv med 116 år bag os glæder vi os stadig til landsmøde 😀 Forrygende weekend forude med radikal politik, taler, debat, visioner og ideer. Følg med på https://t.co/ediUJyb1uj og https://t.co/obETzcekIJ. Vel mødt i Nyborg og på nettet! #TænkNyt #rvlm21 #dkpol pic.twitter.com/c06X9OK3jR

— Radikale Venstre (@radikale) September 18, 2021

Photo credit: Radikale Venstre