Karsten Hønge

Karsten Hønge (born 25 September 1958) is a Danish politician, who is member of the Folketing for the Socialist People's Party. Karsten Hønge is one of few people who has been elected to city councils, county councils, regional council, Folketing, and the European Parliament.

Political career He joined SF and its youth wing SFU in 1973. He was a member of the national leadership of SFU in 1974-1977. He was politically active during his time at Thisted Gymnasium, and from 1977 to 1978 was the vice-chairman of Danske Gymnasieelevers Sammenslutning, the Danish association of gymnasium students. In 2006 he wrote the pamphlet "A bull against fundamentalism. A defense for free thoughts." (Danish: ”En bandbulle mod fundamentalisme. Et forsvar for frisind"), critical of religious fundamentalism.

Hønge had been a candidate to the Folketing since 1993, and at the 2007 general election, he was elected to the Folketing. In 2013 he was elected to the regional council in the Region of Southern Denmark as the lead candidate from SF. His statements contributed to the resignation of party leader Annette Vilhelmsen and the departure of SF from the government a week later. Due to his role in this, he was given the nickname "the substitute from hell" by the press.

At the 2015 general election, Hønge was reelected to the Folketing in Funen constituency. He was reelected in 2019. This was criticized by the voters who voted for him. In 2018, Hønge said to a number of media outlets, that he would leave the Folketing, if he were elected to the European Parliament. In weeks prior to the election, Hønge had said to local media on Funen, that the general elections had first priority. Hønge later apologized that he was unclear in the process, and called it an "election-blunder". Several members of the Folketing later criticized SF and Hønge's decision, calling it to making fun of the voters and increasing the political alienation.

Personal life Karsten Hønge was born on 25 September 1958 in Nykøbing Mors. He is the son of Anker Hønge, a carpenter and Inger Hønge, a cleaning assistant. He graduated from Thisted Gymnasium in 1978, and became a carpenter in 1983. In 2013 he became journalist from Danish School of Media and Journalism.