Denmark’s Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister, Jakob Ellemann-Jensen, announced his retirement from politics on Monday, following a six-month absence due to stress.

Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen will take over as acting deputy prime minister and economics minister, according to Ellemann-Jensen.

“I would like to make clear that we will continue our work to implement the government platform, because I believe that the Liberal Party should continue in government,” Lund Poulsen said.

Ellemann-Jensen’s Liberal Party has trailed in opinion polls since December last year, when it entered a rare reform-oriented bipartisan government with the Social Democratic Party and the Moderates.

The Liberal Party will elect a new chair at a meeting next month.