Korhonen: No Presidential run for PM Vanhanen

Centre Party leader wants to stay as Prime Minister until 2015

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Jarmo Korhonen, Party Secretary of the Centre Party, says that it has long been common knowledge in the Party that its Chairman, Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen, does not want to run for President.
      Vanhanen, who ran for President in the 2006 elections, said on Sunday in an interview with two provincial newspapers, Länsi-Savo and Itä-Savo, that he was not interested in the office of President. He promised to defer a final decision on the matter until the Parliamentary elections of 2011.
      "Vanhanen hopes to stay as Prime Minister until 2015", Korhonen said on Monday.
     
At a large Centre Party event about a week ago, Paula Lehtomäki, who will soon return from maternity leave to her post as Minister of the Environment, asked how long Vanhanen wanted to remain Prime Minister. Vanhanen had said that he hoped to stay in the office until 2015, when he turns 60.
      In addition, Vanhanen said last summer that he would like a second term as Prime Minister in a government with the same parties in it.
      Korhonen said that it is not a problem for the Centre Party that Vanhanen does not want to run for President.
      "We have an abundance of good candidates."
      Korhonen refers to last week's edition of the Finnish news magazine Suomen Kuvalehti in which possible Centre Party Presidential candidates included Olli Rehn, Esko Aho, Paula Lehtomäki, Seppo Kääriäinen, and Paavo Väyrynen.
     
Korhonen says that the Centre will probably hold a primary election for Presidential candidates in the early autumn of 2011. At the same time, an extraordinary party congress will be arranged for choosing a candidate, Korhonen says.
      The next Presidential elections are to be held in January 2012.
      "This time there will be significantly less time to prepare for Presidential elections than ever before", Korhonen points out. This is because the attention of the parties will be so focused on the Parliamentary elections of 2011.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Niinistö holds big lead in Suomen Kuvalehti poll on next President (7..4.2008)

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