National Coalition Party MPs start Parliamentary session by criticising SDP

Lipponen's NATO statement criticised as inappropriate

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The Parliamentary group of the conservative National Coalition Party started off the spring Parliamentary session by criticising the Social Democratic Party in general, and Speaker of Parliament Paavo Lipponen in particular.
      Fairly strong language was used about Lipponen at a meeting of the party's Parliamentary group on Thursday morning. Some felt that he had damaged the prestige of his office in the statements that he gave during the final days of the Presidential election campaign.
      Shortly before the second round of the election, Lipponen warned that supporting the National Coalition Party candidate Sauli Niinistö would amount to a positive stand on joining NATO.
      "The Speaker of Parliament has traditionally been above day-to-day politics, in a way", noted Jyri Häkämies, the new chairman of the party's Parliamentary group after the meeting. Lipponen's statements were seen as "illogical and also unfair".
      Lipponen came to his own defence later on Thursday, saying that as Speaker of Parliament he has been impartial, but that his statement was part of normal political debate. "When there is an election, one can hardly expect me to be silent, as a Social Democrat", Lipponen said at a press conference of the Parliament's Speaker's Council.
     
The National Coalition Party MPs also criticised the methods used by the Social Democrats in the election, and the dropping of hints of possible secret agreements on further cooperation between the centre-right parties that would go beyond the Presidential election.
      Häkämies noted that it would also be possible to speculate on what discussions there may have been between the Social Democratic Party and the Left Alliance, and possibly between the SDP and the Greens.
      Häkämies also said that there is concern within the National Coalition Party about developments underway in the SDP under its new chairman Eero Heinäluoma. According to Häkämies there is a "powerful development" within the SDP toward closer cooperation with the Left Alliance, and with the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK). He pointed out that the previous SDP leader, Paavo Lipponen, had "built bridges" to the non-socialist elements.
      Häkämies suggested that the SDP is the political wing of the SAK. However, he did not smile much at his joke.
     
Häkämies was unanimously chosen to lead the National Coalition Party's Parliamentary group, replacing Ben Zyskowicz. Helsinki MP Jan Vapaavuori became the group's new vice chair. Maija Perho and Suvi Lindén will continue as vice chairs.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  National Coalition Party leader denies any secret agreements with Centre Party (1.2.2006)

Helsingin Sanomat