In just over two months, Finland will vote in the European elections. Most of the candidates are already known, but the parties still have until the end of April to complete their lists.
In this article, we gathered what the elections are about and what the parties foresee as the biggest talking points.
An exceptionally high level of candidates will seek a seat in the European Parliament this time, according to an academy researcher specializing in EU issues Timo Miettinen from the University of Helsinki.
– For the national elections, we want faces that already have a lot of national visibility. Certainly, it partly also tells about the fact that European decision-making is perceived to be more central than before. Brussels is seen as a place where you can influence matters important to Finland as well, says Miettinen.
Several candidates with party leader and ministerial backgrounds are running for Brussels.
Candidates are, for example, left-wing coalitions who will soon give up the leadership of their parties Lee Andersson and RKP Anna-Maja Henriksson.
The Greens have no less than two former chairmen available, as the candidate is the MP who led the party last term Maria Ohisalo as well as applying for a further season as a meppi Ville Niinistö. The vote rake of the last European elections, SDP’s chairman in 2005–2008, is also seeking an extension. Eero Heinäluoma.
A member of parliament, who has been involved in the job of party leader, is also seeking a seat in the center Katri Kulmuni and an MP who served as a minister for two terms of government Mika Lintilä.
There is more demand than usual for well-known names also because many of the current members of the European Parliament no longer continue.
Greens who have had a long parliamentary career leave the parliament, for example Heidi Hautalaof the convention Petri SarvamaaRKP’s Nils Torvalds and SDP Miapetra Kumpula-Natri.
There would still be room for attractive candidates on the party lists. Only the candidate lists of the Left Alliance and the Christian Democrats are already full of spring at this stage. Liike Nyt, as the only parliamentary party, has not nominated any candidates yet. The party tells that the candidates will be announced next week.
At the end of the story, you can see a list of all the candidates nominated so far.
There has been no cheering in the voting activity of the European elections
Attractive candidates are needed, because it is not easy to attract voters in the European elections. The turnout has always remained below 50 percent in Finland this millennium.
According to EU expert Miettinen, voters should be interested in the European elections, because Finland is surrounded by a more insecure and dangerous world this decade than before. This means major changes in Finland’s security environment and accelerating global superpower competition.
– These are all questions that can best be answered specifically at the EU level.
Miettinen makes climate, competition policy and security the top themes of the June elections.
– Climate policy is clearly part of the Union’s legislative work, in which Parliament plays a very central role. It is connected with the tightening of global competition and the direction of the EU’s industrial policy.
In Finland, there has been particular interest in how the tightening of climate measures affects Finland’s forest policy and what kind of costs Finland will incur from combating climate change.
As the third theme, Miettinen would raise the changes in the security environment and the effects of the war in Ukraine. For example, the EU must find solutions to issues such as increasing ammunition production.
PS does not reveal whether it will give up pushing for an EU exit
The three largest parliamentary parties agree with Miettinen on the main themes of the elections, although there are also their own emphases.
Party secretary of the coalition Kristina Kokon in my opinion, security policy in particular is a clear theme.
– In such a world situation, the role of the European Union as a security community is significant. I believe that it can be seen across the board as a theme in this election. Secondly, I will bring up the growth policy. How can Europe be an attractive center of the world economy in the future as well?
Also party secretary of the Basic Finns Harri Vuorenpää security and economic policy are the central topics of the elections. Vuorenpää raises national influence in Europe as an important theme for the party.
– We do not support the development of a federal state and we consider it important that in national affairs the control over Finnish affairs remains at home.
Previously, the party’s election program included a long-term goal of Finland’s exit from the EU. Are we giving up on this now?
– I would like to state at this point that the new program is very much based on the old one.
Vuorenpää does not reveal more about the content of the election program. It will be published in a couple of weeks.
A new financial instrument is not suitable for the Prime Minister
SDP party secretary Mikkel Näkkäläjärvi emphasizes that the party wants a strong Europe, because it is also in Finland’s interest.
– This means that the EU has a strong grip on, for example, slowing down biodiversity and combating tax evasion. Today, the EU also needs a bigger role in terms of security and defense.
In addition to climate change, security and continued support for Ukraine, according to Näkkäläjärvi, workers’ rights are a big theme for SDP both in Finland and in Europe.
– The EU has been the Danube’s best friend in recent years, and we hope that this will continue to be the case.
A spark for the European elections can be expected from the debate on European investments.
The Social Democrats have presented the Union with a new financial instrument to secure the competitiveness of European companies, as competition for subsidies between states has intensified.
– The United States, of course, in a big way, but in Europe, France and Germany have also strongly supported their own companies. As a small country, Finland cannot do well in this kind of support competition for member countries. European solutions are also needed for this, says Näkkäläjärvi.
EU countries could jointly finance, for example, defense or green transition investments instead of their own state subsidies.
Prime minister Petteri Orpo (co.) however, rejected the joint financial instrument on Wednesday in the debate on the government’s influence on the EU in the parliament.