Indications of a Fourth Republic
Timo Soini’s breakthrough broke the power of the three large parties
|
|
|
By Unto Hämäläinen
April 17th, the Sunday of Parliamentary elections in Finland, might prove to be turning point in Finnish history. The massive victory of The Finns’ party of Timo Soini in the elections shook the foundations of the old party system.
It would seem that aftershocks are coming in the upcoming Parliamentary elections and the municipal elections. Finland may never be the same after them.
The republic will remain, but a leaf is being turned in its history.
Finland is now 94 years old, and its history can be divided into three phases – three republics.
The First Republic was born when the Whites, who were victorious in the Civil War, started to rule the country.
The parties of the right and centre were in power right the way through to the interim peace that ended the Continuation War in 1944.
The Social Democratic Party was the largest party, but it did not get a status commensurate with its size until the late 1930s. The Communist Party was banned.
In foreign policy, Finland sought to hold the status of a neutral country, but ended up being attacked by the Soviet Union in the autumn of 1939, and became an ally of Germany in 1941.
The Second Republic came via a diktat of the winner of the war in the autumn of 1944.
Finland retained its independence, but had to adapt its foreign policy to the requirements of the Soviet Union.
In domestic policy, a period of cooperation between the parties of the left and centre began, which was favoured especially by long-serving President Urho Kekkonen.
The National Coalition Party was in almost perpetual opposition.
The symbolic figure of the Third Republic has been - up to this day - Mauno Koivisto, who became President from the beginning of 1982.
During Koivisto’s time Finland’s position began to change, and the changes were implemented during the term of President Martti Ahtisaari.
Finland became a member of the European Union in 1995 and a eurozone country in 1999.
There were also great changes in domestic politics.
The parties were able to take turns in various governments.
In the past 20 years all possible types of government compositions have been tried, and have stayed in office for entire parliamentary terms - something that would have been unheard of in past decades.
Social Democrats have been elected president five times in a row - most recently Tarja Halonen in 2000 and 2006.
“It hasn’t been such a bad time”, Halonen snapped when she was asked about the terms of Social Democratic presidents at an event for political journalists.
Halonen was right. The period of 30 years has been the most stable phase in Finnish domestic politics, even though there have been upheavals around us in our own continent: states have been taken off the map and new ones have been born.
What is the nascent Fourth Republic like?
We do not know this yet. The economic crisis sparked by the difficulties of weak euro countries will probably lead to great changes in the European Union.
It is also possible that the powerful position of Vladimir Putin will crumble in Russia.
Europe’s tectonic plates would move in both the east and the west.
The last time that this happened was 20 years ago in December 1991: the Soviet Union broke up and the countries of Western Europe decided to turn the loose European Community into a closely-knit European Union.
Now Europe is again undergoing upheavals, and an upheaval could also happen in Finnish domestic politics.
The present government of Jyrki Katainen will try to adhere to the tradition of the 3rd Republic, but will it be able to keep a grip on it?
The prerequisites exist for an upheaval, with its foundations in the parliamentary elections.
The voters have found a channel for their dissatisfaction: the Finns Party of Timo Soini.
Helsingin Sanomat / First published in print 31.1.2011
UNTO HÄMÄLÄINEN / Helsingin Sanomat
unto.hamalainen@hs.fi
|
| 3.1.2012 - THIS WEEK |
 Indications of a Fourth Republic |
|
