Eero Heinäluoma to give up SDP leadership

Several leading Social Democrats consider run for post

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The race for the leadership of the opposition Social Democratic Party took a surprising turn on Sunday afternoon when party chairman Eero Heinäluoma announced in Turku that he would not seek to renew his mandate at the party's congress in June this year.
      "If you cannot be a sun, be a star", Heinäluoma said, quoting Martin Luther King in a speech held at a future forum in Turku.
     
At the beginning of his speech he listed a number of issues that he feels that the SDP needs to attend to in the future. He mentioned political goals, ranging from improving basic social security, to the need for a comprehensive tax reform.
      Up to this point the speech sounded like it was leading up to a formal announcement of a bid for re-election as party chairman; Heinäluoma said that said that the holder of the post needs to have fire and enthusiasm, both of which he said that he has.
      Then came the political bombshell of the day. Eero Heinäluoma announced that he would not seek a new term as the SDP leader.
     
Heinäluoma pondered the responsibilities of the party chairman for the state that the party is in.
      "I have come to the conclusion that I must take responsibility for the election result", he said.
      Heinäluoma said at a press conference held after the event that the decision to give up the party leadership came to him a week ago. He added that the decision was a difficult one, and that he would have liked to have remained in the party's leadership. The move was prompted by the SDP's poor showing in the Parliamentary election last spring, and the feedback that it has generated.
      Heinäluoma said that he wants to follow the principle according to which a politician should bear responsibility for his party, and not just in words. Heinäluoma added that he will not be available for leadership roles in the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK), adding that speculation over the matter should be stopped.
     
Heinäluoma's announcement that he would step down prompted several figures in the SDP reconsider the possibility of seeking party's chairmanship.
      Deputy Chairman Johannes Koskinen says that he will announce within a week if he will seek the post being vacated by Heinäluoma. A similar decision is being considered by Jutta Urpilainen, chair of the SDP Parliamentary Group.
      About two weeks ago Urpilainen had said that she will not seek the party leadership, because the race is a contest between Heinäluoma and former Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja, who is the only announced candidate for the post so far.
      MP Tarja Filatov is also reconsidering a run. MP Kimmo Kiljunen said that he would not saying no to seeking the post at this point.
     
SDP deputy chairwoman Pia Viitanen is also considering a decision. Maria Guzenina-Richardson, who has been seen as something of a hope for the party's future, said that she would sleep on the matter and then consider her options.
      Also considering a run for the SDP chair is MP Miapetra Kumpula-Natri, who observed that the next leader of the SDP will be a candidate for the post of Prime Minister, which means that a decision on running for the post should not be made with undue haste.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Foreign Minister Tuomioja seeks Social Democratic Party leadership (4.4.2005)
  Tuomioja to run for chairman of Social Democratic Party again (14.1.2008)
  Foreign Minister Tuomioja demands greater SDP self-criticism (22.3.2007)
  Party secretary Eero Heinäluoma chosen as new Social Democratic Party leader (10.6.2005)

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