Danish conservative MEP Pernille Weiss, the European Parliament’s negotiator on the pharmaceutical directive, will not be presented by her national party as a candidate for the 2024 European elections after an internal investigation uncovered reports of bullying in her office.
Weiss, who sits in the center-right European People’s Party group, is also the Parliament’s negotiator for the EU’s Waste Shipment Regulation.
Denmark’s Conservative People’s Party made the announcement Tuesday, saying that its executive committee had unanimously decided not to put her up for reelection and that a new candidate will be found.
According to the party announcement, the internal investigation was based on a number of interviews with former employees who had worked for Weiss in Brussels, and who all talked about the difficult work environment.
“Words such as bullying, humiliation and feeling threatened were used, among other things,” the announcement said. The work environment had led to a number of former employees to take stress-related sick leave, and to resign, it states. The former employees have been offered psychological assistance, adds the announcement.
Conservative People’s Party spokesman Filip Lauritzen said that Weiss had been informed of the news Tuesday morning. Danish news agency Ritzau reports that the party’s leader Søren Pape Poulsen asked the MEP to stand down.
Weiss’ office declined a request for comment.