Katainen given third term as National Coalition Party leader
Party wants to re-examine Presidential powers
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Minister of Finance Jyrki Katainen, who was unanimously chosen for a third term as leader of the National Coalition Party on Saturday, says that the Parliamentary Group of the party is in agreement that when the next reforms are made to the Finnish constitution, the leadership in foreign policy should be put in the hands of the government.
The aim is to further reduce the remaining constitutional powers of the President of the Republic.
At its congress in the city of Tampere, the National Coalition Party passed its statement on Saturday on the constitution issue with few alterations.
Speaker of Parliament and former National Coalition Party leader Sauli Niinistö had come to the defence of the present model, where the President and government lead foreign policy together.
Katainen emphasised that under the model promoted by the National Coalition Party, the President would continue to work with the government in foreign policy matters.
In his speech on Saturday Katainen focused on the party’s values.
Katainen criticised the opposition Social Democratic Party for calling on EUR 1.3 billion in additional spending. After the speech Katainen noted that he was surprised at the SDP's demand for free day care for all.
“It is a very unusual idea. The Katainen family pays high day care fees, as it should. We would prefer to focus subsidies on those with lower incomes”, Katainen said, admitting that the government has been criticised for not managing to link child allowances with the inflation index, as had been promised.
The most bitter memory of Katainen’s year in the government was the dispute over nurses’ pay, which threatened to lead to mass resignations by the Union of Health and Social Care Professionals (TEHY). In the autumn he had to read repeared accusations of breaking promises.
Katainen listed the National Coalition Party’s values as incentive, education, tolerance, and caring. The chairman mentioned his daughter’s story book, where a bird of happiness is caught by villagers, and withers away in captivity.
“I admit that I am not quite normal to start making comparisons with political ideology and the nature of the welfare society while reading a story book”, Katainen conceded.
Helsingin Sanomat
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| 16.6.2008 - TODAY |
 Katainen given third term as National Coalition Party leader |
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