Majority in Finnish Parliament back EU constitution

Handful of Centre and SDP MPs oppose quick ratification

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Parliament decided on Friday by a vote of 104 to 24 to hold the proposed constitutional treaty for the European Union to be acceptable, and to call on the government to bring the treaty before Parliament for actual ratification.
      Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (Centre) described the support given to the treaty as "convincing".
      According to Vanhanen, the government will not discuss the ratification issue with President Tarja Halonen, and if the treaty is to be brought before Parliament for approval, it will happen on June 2nd at the earliest.
     
There were some splits within both government and opposition parties in Friday’s vote.
      Seppo Lahtela of the main government party, the Centre Party, was against ratification. Also voting against the treaty were 12 members of the Left Alliance, eight Greens, and three Christian Democrats.
      Those voting against the ratification supported a resolution put forward by Ulla Anttila (Green), stating that the rapid ratification of the treaty would not be appropriate at the moment, because no referendum has been held on the matter.
     
Voting in favour of ratifying the treaty were a majority of Centre Party, Social Democratic, National Coalition Party, and Swedish People’s Party Members of Parliament, as well as former Left Alliance chairwoman Suvi-Anne Siimes.
      A total of 11 Parliamentarians showed their displeasure with the draft treaty by abstaining, and 60 were absent, or did not want to come to the chamber for the vote.
      Abstaining were five Centre Party members, three Social Democrats, one National Coalition Party MP, one Christian Democrat, and one True Finn.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Widespread support in Finnish Parliament for draft EU constitution (11.5.2006)
  Prime Minister Vanhanen: EU constitution ratification proceeds in Finland (10.5.2006)
  Halonen downplays need for Finnish ratification of EU constitution (9.5.2006)
  Prime Minister Vanhanen unimpressed by proposal for scaled-back EU constitution (20.4.2006)
  Grand Committee members favour Finnish ratification of EU constitution (7.4.2006)

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