{{Short description|Danish politician (born 1975)}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Lars Boje Mathiesen | office = Leader of the Citizens' Party | predecessor = ''Party established'' | term_start = 28 August 2024 | constituency = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1975|5|21|df=y}} | birth_place = Skive, Denmark | image = Lars Boje Mathiesen by Christian Ursilva.jpg | caption = Boje Mathiesen in 2026 | party = Citizens' Party (since 2024)<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.vaelgererklaering.dk/om-partiet?election=dk&party=6ff8e430-6f9e-4ce1-a7c6-9fcba9e789c8 | title=Borgernes Parti - Lars Boje Mathiesen | website=www.vaelgererklaering.dk}}</ref> | office1 = Leader of Nye Borgerlige | predecessor1 = Pernille Vermund | successor1 = Pernille Vermund | term_start1 = 7 February | term_end1 = 9 March 2023 | office2 = Member of the Folketing | term_start2 = 5 June 2019 | other_party = Liberal Alliance (until 2016)<br>Nye Borgerlige (2016–2023) }}
'''Lars Boje Mathiesen''' (born 21 May 1975) is a Danish politician who has been an independent member of the Danish Parliament, the Folketing, since March 2023. Previously a member of the Nye Borgerlige (New Right) political party before his expulsion in 2023, he was first elected to the Folketing at the 2019 general election for the Nye Borgerlige and again at the 2022 general election.
In February 2023, he succeeded Pernille Vermund as leader of the Nye Borgerlige, but was dismissed and expelled from the party in March after disputes over remuneration and campaign finances.
==Background== Boje was born on 21 May 1975 in Skive and is the son of musician Peter Boje Mathiesen and Inge Burmølle Mathiesen.<ref>{{Cite news|author=Julie Minnet Høgholm|title=Folketingspolitiker for Nye Borgerlige: Jeg finder styrke i at beholde min tro i mig selv|work=Kristeligt Dagblad|date=15 October 2020|url=https://www.kristeligt-dagblad.dk/liv-sjael/vi-goer-livets-vej-stadigt-smallere}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|author=Louise Gram Søndergaard|title=Lars Boje Mathiesen: - Jeg kommer fra en hippie-familie|work=TV2 Østjylland|date=18 May 2019|url=https://www.tv2ostjylland.dk/valg-2019/lars-boje-mathiesen-jeg-kommer-fra-en-hippie-familie}}</ref> He grew up on a disused farm near Ribe, according to his own statement in a hippie family. He is a trained primary schoolteacher, having studied at Ribe Seminarium and Nørre Nissum Seminarium in 2000 to 2005. He worked as a primary schoolteacher at various schools from 2005 to 2019. As a teacher, he has taught social studies, English, Christianity and history.<ref>{{Cite news|author=Julie Yapa Sørensen|title=Lærer: Jeg giver 2.067 karakterer i løbet af et år|work=folkeskolen.dk|date=2 July 2018|url=https://www.folkeskolen.dk/engelsk-karakterer-udskoling/laerer-jeg-giver-2067-karakterer-i-lobet-af-et-ar/791157}}</ref><ref name="Ft.dk">{{cite web |title=Lars Boje Mathiesen (NB) |url=https://www.ft.dk/medlemmer/mf/l/lars-boje-mathiesen |access-date=13 August 2021 |website=Ft.dk}}</ref>
He studied management and psychology in the United States at Southeast Missouri State University. Previously, he had his own hotel and café in Ribe.<ref>{{Cite news|author=Mads Thorup Thomsen|title=Lars Boje Mathiesen voksede op blandt potmarker, flyttede til USA og blev Nye Borgerliges frihedsordfører|work=Dagbladet Information|date=23 October 2020|url=https://www.information.dk/indland/2020/10/lars-boje-mathiesen-voksede-blandt-potmarker-flyttede-usa-nye-borgerliges-frihedsordfoerer}}</ref>
==Political career==
=== Liberal Alliance (2013–2016) === Boje's career in politics started in 2013, where he was elected into Aarhus Municipality's municipal council, as a member of Liberal Alliance. He left the party in 2016 and, after a short unaffiliated period, joined Nye Borgerlige. He chose not to stand again in the next local election, but instead to seek a seat in the Folketing.<ref name="tv2ostjylland">{{cite web |title=Lars Boje Mathiesen: - Jeg kommer fra en hippie-familie |url=https://www.tv2ostjylland.dk/valg-2019/lars-boje-mathiesen-jeg-kommer-fra-en-hippie-familie |website=TV2 ØSTJYLLAND |language=da}}</ref>
=== Nye Borgerlige (2016–2023) === [[File:Lars Boje Mathiesen - Nye Borgerlige.jpg|thumb|Boje Mathiesen at Christiansborg, 18 May 2020 ]] Lars Boje Mathiesen was elected a member of the Folketing at the 2019 general election on 5 June for East Jutland. In May 2021, he caused a social media backlash when he compared the right to free menstrual products to having "underpants in public toilets" in case someone soils themselves, a comparison that was described as "pure nonsense" by Charlotte Wilkens, chief physician at the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics at Hvidovre Hospital.<ref>{{cite web |title=Østjysk politiker i shitstorm om afføring i menstruationsdebat |url=https://www.tv2ostjylland.dk/tv2dk/oestjysk-politiker-i-shitstorm-om-affoering-i-menstruationsdebat |website=TV2 ØSTJYLLAND |access-date=19 June 2021 |language=da}}</ref>
=== Leadership (February–March 2023) === On 10 January 2023, Pernille Vermund announced her intention to step down as leader of Nye Borgerlige, explaining her resignation with a desire to get her "life and family back".<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-01-10 |title=Pernille Vermund stopper som formand i løbet af i år: 'Vi må se, hvem der melder sig på banen' |url=https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/politik/pernille-vermund-stopper-som-formand-i-loebet-af-i-aar-vi-maa-se-hvem-der-melder-sig |access-date=2023-01-10 |website=DR |language=da-DK |archive-date=2023-01-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230114053625/https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/politik/pernille-vermund-stopper-som-formand-i-loebet-af-i-aar-vi-maa-se-hvem-der-melder-sig |url-status=live }}</ref> At an extraordinary national executive (''hovedbestyrelse'') meeting on 17 January, Boje announced his candidature for the leadership post, receiving support from most of the parliamentary group.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-01-17 |title=Lars Boje Mathiesen vil være formand for Nye Borgerlige |url=https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/politik/lars-boje-mathiesen-vil-vaere-formand-nye-borgerlige |access-date=2023-01-17 |website=DR |language=da-DK}}</ref> On 25 January 2023, it was announced that no other candidate than Boje had entered the race.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-01-25 |title=Lars Boje Mathiesen bliver Nye Borgerliges næste formand |url=https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/politik/lars-boje-mathiesen-bliver-nye-borgerliges-naeste-formand |access-date=2023-02-02 |website=DR |language=da-DK}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-01-25 |title=Lars Boje Mathiesen bliver ny formand for Nye Borgerlige - TV 2 |url=https://nyheder.tv2.dk/politik/2023-01-25-lars-boje-mathiesen-bliver-ny-formand-for-nye-borgerlige |access-date=2023-02-02 |website=nyheder.tv2.dk |language=da-DK}}</ref> Consequently, he unanimously assumed office at the party's convention in Fredericia on 7 February 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-02-07 |title=Lars Boje er valgt som formand for Nye Borgerlige - TV 2 |url=https://nyheder.tv2.dk/politik/2023-02-07-lars-boje-er-valgt-som-formand-for-nye-borgerlige |access-date=2023-04-06 |website=nyheder.tv2.dk |language=da-DK}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-02-07 |title=Lars Boje er valgt som formand for Nye Borgerlige |url=https://www.bt.dk/content/item/1667784 |access-date=2023-02-07 |website=www.bt.dk |language=da}}</ref>
Some commentators predicted that the election of Boje would move the party towards a less pragmatic, less national conservative and more liberal and protest party-like position,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bentzen |first=Jeppe |date=26 January 2023 |title=Pibe eller protest |url=https://www.weekendavisen.dk/content/item/49663 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230513214452/https://www.weekendavisen.dk/2023-4/samfund/pibe-eller-protest |archive-date=13 May 2023 |access-date=10 April 2023 |website=Weekendavisen}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Sabah |first=Mahamad-Bakher |date=2023-02-08 |title=Nye Borgerlige ville ikke være et protestparti. Nu har de Danmarks største protestpolitiker som formand |url=https://www.zetland.dk/historie/soGx4L96-aeAEaNN5-2a837 |access-date=2023-02-20 |website=Zetland |language=da |archive-date=2023-02-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230220225913/https://www.zetland.dk/historie/soGx4L96-aeAEaNN5-2a837 |url-status=live }}</ref> though Boje himself stated that he would continue the political line of Vermund.<ref name=BT>{{cite news |last1=Astrup |first1=Peter |title=Mikkel Bjørn bakkede ikke Lars Boje op på aftenens møde |url=https://www.bt.dk/politik/mikkel-bjoern-bakkede-ikke-lars-boje-op-paa-aftenens-moede |access-date=26 June 2023 |work=www.bt.dk |date=17 January 2023 |language=da}}</ref> However, he remained only party leader for a month, as on 10 March it was announced that the national executive of Nye Borgerlige had, the day prior, unanimously chosen to dismiss Boje as party leader and expel him from the party because of disputes over remuneration and campaign finances.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-03-09 |title=Lars Boje Mathiesen er blevet ekskluderet fra Nye Borgerlige |url=https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/seneste/lars-boje-mathiesen-er-faerdig-som-formand-i-nye-borgerlige |access-date=2023-03-12 |website=DR |language=da-DK}}</ref> At the same time, Vermund conveyed her willingness to once again take over as party leader<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-03-10 |title=Vermund vil være formand: 'Jeg er på ny klar til at tage os videre og kæmpe' |url=https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/politik/vermund-vil-vaere-formand-jeg-er-paa-ny-klar-til-tage-os-videre-og-kaempe |access-date=2023-03-13 |website=DR |language=da-DK}}</ref> and to run in the next general election.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-03-13 |title=Lars Boje-skandale tvinger Vermund til at stille op igen ved næste folketingsvalg - TV 2 |url=https://nyheder.tv2.dk/politik/2023-03-13-lars-boje-skandale-tvinger-vermund-til-at-stille-op-igen-ved-naeste |access-date=2023-04-04 |website=nyheder.tv2.dk |language=da-DK |archive-date=2023-04-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230404183931/https://nyheder.tv2.dk/politik/2023-03-13-lars-boje-skandale-tvinger-vermund-til-at-stille-op-igen-ved-naeste |url-status=live }}</ref> In October 2023, she was unanimously elected as party chairman once more.<ref>{{cite web |title=Nye Borgerlige bløder medlemmer - og fire andre nedslag fra årsmødet - TV 2 |url=https://nyheder.tv2.dk/live/politik/2023-10-28-nye-borgerlige-bloeder-medlemmer-og-fire-andre-nedslag-fra-aarsmoedet |website=nyheder.tv2.dk |access-date=5 November 2023 |language=da-DK |date=28 October 2023}}</ref>
As a side effect of Boje's expulsion, the party is set to lose a substantial part of its public funds, effective after 12 months.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-03-14 |title=Nye Borgerlige taber millioner – Vermund vil søge penge udefra |url=https://www.berlingske.dk/content/item/1713518 |access-date=2023-04-06 |website=Berlingske.dk |language=da}}</ref>
=== Citizens' Party (2023 onwards) === thumb|Boje Mathiesen speaking in the Danish parliament, October 2025 Boje continued in the Folketing as an independent.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-03-10 |title=Ekskluderet formand forsætter som løsgænger i Folketinget |url=https://www.berlingske.dk/content/item/1712604 |access-date=2023-04-06 |website=Berlingske.dk |language=da}}</ref> On 12 April 2023, Boje hinted at the possibility of founding his own party.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-04-11 |title=Mens Boje overvejer nyt parti, har vælgerne tilsyneladende tilgivet Vermund og Nye Borgerlige |url=https://www.altinget.dk/artikel/altinget.dk/artikel/nye-borgerlige-holder-sig-over-spaerregraensen-i-nyt-snit-af-maalinger |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=Altinget.dk}}</ref> On 28 August 2024, he announced a new party, The Citizens' Party.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-08-28 |title=Lars Boje Mathiesens nye parti hedder Borgernes Parti |url=https://nyheder.tv2.dk/politik/2024-08-28-lars-boje-mathiesens-nye-parti-hedder-borgernes-parti |access-date=2025-01-17 |website=TV 2 |language=da-DK}}</ref> On 17 December 2024, it had obtained the 20,195 signatures required to obtain ballot access for the next Danish election.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-12-17 |title=Nu har Lars Bojes nye parti fået nok underskrifter til at komme på stemmesedlen |url=https://www.altinget.dk/artikel/nu-har-lars-bojes-nye-parti-faaet-nok-underskrifter-til-at-komme-paa-stemmesedlen |access-date=2025-01-17 |website=www.altinget.dk}}</ref> The party formally obtained ballot access on 15 January 2025,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-01-15 |title=Lars Boje har fået endelig godkendelse til sit nye Borgernes Parti |url=https://jyllands-posten.dk/politik/ECE17812162/lars-boje-har-faaet-endelig-godkendelse-til-sit-nye-borgernes-parti/ |access-date=2025-01-17 |website=Jyllands-Posten |language=da}}</ref> and was assigned the party letter H by the Interior Ministry.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Partiernes bogstavbetegnelser |url=https://www.valg.im.dk/partier-og-kandidater/partiernes-bogstavbetegnelser |access-date=2025-01-17 |website=Valg.im.dk |language=da}}</ref>
At the 2026 Danish general election the party got 2.1% of the votes, 0.1% above the minimum threshold, which resulted in 4 mandates in the Folketing.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Krupa |first1=Jakub |last2=Ambrose |first2=Tom |last3=Mackay |first3=Hamish |last4=Ambrose |first4=Jakub Krupa (now); Tom |last5=Krupa (earlier) |first5=Jakub |date=24 March 2026 |title=Danish PM's leftwing bloc wins most votes but fails to secure majority – Europe live |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/mar/24/denmark-election-mette-frederiksen-europe-latest-news-updates |access-date=25 March 2026 |work=The Guardian}}</ref> Four days after the election, Boje excluded recently elected member Jacob Harris,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/politik/folketingsvalg/han-var-lige-blevet-budt-velkommen-i-folketinget-nu-soeger-han-orlov-efter-beskyldninger-om|publisher=Danmarks Radio|title=Han var lige blevet budt velkommen i Folketinget: Nu søger han orlov efter beskyldninger om pengemisbrug|first=Mathilde|last=Faurby|date=27 March 2026|access-date=28 March 2026|language=da}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/politik/folketingsvalg/fredag-og-loerdag-modtog-ekskluderet-politiker-beskeder-med-klar-melding-fra-lars-boje-traek-dig|publisher=Danmarks Radio|title=Fredag og lørdag modtog ekskluderet politiker beskeder med klar melding fra Lars Boje: Træk dig|first1=Jakob |last1=Slyngborg Trolle |first2=Anja |last2=Westphal|date=28 March 2026|access-date=28 March 2026|language=da}}</ref> and 11 days after the election Emilie Schytte withdrew from the party, cutting the party's mandates in half.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.berlingske.dk/politik/paa-kun-11-dage-er-borgernes-partis-folketingsgruppe-blevet-halveret-partiet-er-i-total-oploesningsiger-bent-winther?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqeeBFl8e-aM4NABGBaQxwiLnx82pzREJQR61vszIYB8Gzfu3v_MgfU4&gaa_ts=69d4115e&gaa_sig=6okMRyx998U6Lh9jPqxmIA7t8a7XwH61r3D8cYISOfAJztRumTZ9qOETJ6GfZxkiFNsCpNOY2sdaWnrOJ85RPg%3D%3D|publisher=Berlingske|title=På kun 11 dage er Borgernes Partis folketingsgruppe blevet halveret - "partiet er i total opløsning" siger Bent Winther|date=4 April 2026|access-date=6 April 2026|language=da}}</ref> Schytte accused Boje of abuse of power within the party, calling it a 'pyramid scheme'.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.berlingske.dk/politik/paa-kun-11-dage-er-borgernes-partis-folketingsgruppe-blevet-halveret-partiet-er-i-total-oploesningsiger-bent-winther?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqeeBFl8e-aM4NABGBaQxwiLnx82pzREJQR61vszIYB8Gzfu3v_MgfU4&gaa_ts=69d4115e&gaa_sig=6okMRyx998U6Lh9jPqxmIA7t8a7XwH61r3D8cYISOfAJztRumTZ9qOETJ6GfZxkiFNsCpNOY2sdaWnrOJ85RPg%3D%3D|publisher=Berlingske|title=På kun 11 dage er Borgernes Partis folketingsgruppe blevet halveret - "partiet er i total opløsning" siger Bent Winther|date=4 April 2026|access-date=6 April 2026|language=da}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/politik/emilie-schytte-melder-sig-ud-af-borgernes-parti-loegnen-er-nok-det-vaerste|publisher=Danmarks Radio|title=Emilie Schytte melder sig ud af Borgernes Parti: 'Løgnen er nok det værste'|date=4 April 2026|access-date=6 April 2026|language=da}}</ref> In May 2026 Nadja Natalie Isaksen also left the party, leaving him as the only party member left in parliament.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/indland/nadja-natalie-isaksen-melder-sig-ud-af-borgernes-parti|publisher=Danmarks Radio|author=Emma Amalie Oxenbøll|title=Nadja Natalie Isaksen melder sig ud af Borgernes Parti|date=3 May 2026|access-date=3 May 2026|language=da}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{ft.dk link}}
{{Navbox with collapsible groups |name = |state = collapsed |title = Members of the Folketing |list1 = {{Folketing members 2019–2022}} |list2 = {{Folketing members 2022–2026}} }}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mathiesen, Lars Boje}} Category:Living people Category:1975 births Category:Danish municipal councillors Category:People from Skive Municipality Category:The New Right (Denmark) politicians Category:Citizens' Party (Denmark) politicians Category:Members of the Folketing 2019–2022 Category:Members of the Folketing 2022–2026 Category:Members of the Folketing 2026–2030