Former Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen resigned Saturday from the leadership of the center-right opposition Liberal Party after 10 years as leader.
Rasmussen, 55, announced his resignation on Twitter after an extraordinary party leadership meeting.
The party was divided over Rasmussen´s political approach and how he ran the party´s election campaign in June that led to the SPD´s return to the presidency, despite a good show of liberals.
Rasmussen wrote on Twitter: "It is important to commit to respect for oneself, I can not lead a party, where I was deprived of the opportunity to discuss and test my political pace in the caucus .. Thank you for many good years."
This summer, the rival factions called for renewed leadership. Rasmussen has been criticized for putting forward ideas for a grand coalition with the SPD during the election campaign.
Christine Jensen, deputy leader of the Liberal Party, also resigned on Saturday.
Another party congress is expected to elect a new leader, likely on September 21.
Rasmussen became prime minister and leader of the Liberal Party in April 2009 after his predecessor Andres Fogh Rasmussen stepped down to head the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Rasmussen was prime minister from 2009 to 2011 and then left the post by vote.
He returned as prime minister in 2015 for a second term but lost the general election in June and was succeeded by Mitte Frederiksen of the Social Democrats.
In 2001, Rasmussen became a member of the cabinet in the center-right government formed by the Rasmussen Regiment, initially serving as interior and health ministers before being appointed finance minister in 2007.
