Left Alliance leader says party must lose either reformers or conservatives
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Suvi-Anne Siimes, chairwoman of the opposition Left Alliance, says that her party's situation is genuinely serious. In an interview with the Finnish News Agency STT, she says that the Left Alliance must decide who leaves the party.
"We have to decide where to take the blow. Will we lose the conservatives, or the reformers? We cannot keep both", said Siimes in the interview.
As Siimes sees it, the internal conflict within the party crystalises around the issue of Euopean Union integration.
She notes that the party has made a policy decision not to oppose the proposed EU constitution. However, she observes that not all members of the Left Alliance have wanted to work on behalf of the common goal.
Siimes nevertheless does not call for throwing anyone out of the party, and will not speculate on her own possible resignation. However, she does not feel that all party members have been working on behalf of a common objective.
Siimes feels that "demagogues" within the party are causing confusion in debate, leading to a situation in which discussion about the party's policy line deteriorates into pondering the position of the party's chair. Siimes feels that the Left Alliance is not capable of discussing policy line questions, and that discussions always fall to the level of "braying among members", leading to a situation in which important issues disappear.
The Left Alliance was formed by former members of the Finnish Communist Party and other leftist elements. There has long been tension between the old hard-liners and more reformist elements.
Helsingin Sanomat
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| 28.2.2006 - TODAY |
 Left Alliance leader says party must lose either reformers or conservatives |
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