At a news conference at 10.30 today, Villy Søvndal is to announce he is stepping down as leader of the Socialist People’s Party, but is expected to remain as foreign minister.

“The time has come to pass on the baton. I have been delighted to be at the head of the Socialist People’s Party during some very interesting and exciting years in Danish politics. I decided already before the last election that I would not be the one to head the party at the next election – the question was only when the time was right,” Søvndal says in a news release.

Søvndal has informed the national leadership, party ministers, his party’s MPs and the government leadership.

“I have led SF to several electoral victories and got SF into government for the first time – that is what I promised to try to do when I became chairman. But now the time has come for a new chairman to have time to get into position in good time before the next election. And it is important that this will be someone who can take over the new chapter in SF’s history of being in government,” Søvndal says.

Villy Søvndal has been chairman of the Socialist People’s Party since April 2005 and is foreign minister in the tripartite Social Democratic-Social Liberal- Socialist People’s Party government.

The news that Søvndal is stepping down comes at a time when his party is in deep crisis. The latest Megafon opinion poll gives the party 5.8 per cent if an election were held now, compared to 9.2 per cent at the last election and considerably less than when he took over the chairmanship.

Søvndal’s news release does not indicate who he would prefer to take over the party, saying only that SF must now go through a democratic process.

“In 2005 SF had a very good process in a membership ballot. I am proud that SF is a party with a solid democratic culture. That is good for member democracy and I look forward to the process ahead,” Søvndal says.

FACEBOOK – Follow Politiken’s News in English