Greens' leader offers political asylum to Left Alliance members

Soininvaara willing to accept third term

Suvi-Anne Siimes

Anni Sinnemäki

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Green League chairman Osmo Soininvaara, who is seeking a third term as leader of his party, has offered "political asylum" to politicians in the Left Alliance, who are "freed of the -isms of the past", and who "want to promote environmentally friendly politics, justice, and civilisation".
     
Speaking on Saturday at a meeting of the Green's delegate council, Soininvaara devoted a good deal of his address to the analysis of the Left Alliance. He said that at least in Parliament, the internal "Forty Years' War" that the Left Alliance inherited from the Finnish Communist Party is turning into a victory for the hard-liners. Soininvaara predicted that this might lead to the disappearance of the Left Alliance from the political party map of Finland.
      He also mentioned a comment in the late-edition tabloid Iltalehti, according to which Soininvaara's relieved and satisfied disposition would suggest that he plans to give up the party leadership.
      "The newspaper seems to have confused two parties with each other. It was the Left Alliance which is torturous to lead."
      Soininvaara's comment was a reference to a turn of phrase used by Left Alliance chairwoman Suvi-Anne Siimes last week.
     
Siimes denounced Soininvaara's overtures as "traditional and old-fashioned party politics", attempting to "entice and direct" people into falling in behind some ideology.
      She said that the Greens are trying to take advantage of the difficult situation in the Left Alliance, even though their tax policies are, in her view, very close to those of the conservative National Coalition Party.
     
Although leading the Greens is a pleasant task for Soininvaara - or at least not akin to torture - he said that he hopes that someone will run against him when the issue comes to a vote at the party congress in the spring.
      "We must not implement a practice under which challenging a party chair or party secretary is seen as something close to lèse majesté."
      However, there do not seem to be any challengers on the horizon for Soininvaara. MP Anni Sinnemäki, who has been seen as the most likely alternate candidate, has said that she is not available.
     
Although the recent municipal elections were a disappointment for the Greens, Soininvaara does not see any cause for great concern.
      "The old saying again proved to be true: what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger."
      Soininvaara says that the party has made great strides in formulating its ideas since the elections. However, much remains to be done in making its ideas easier for the people to understand.
      He noted that it is the party's own fault if "strange claims about the Greens' policy line" were accepted by voters.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Left Alliance leader calls on party to give up "isms" (7.2.2005)

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