New National Coalition Party chairman wants to activate NATO option
Jyrki Katainen succeeds Ville Itälä as leader of opposition conservative party
MP Jyrki Katainen, who was elected chairman of the conservative opposition National Coalition Party on Saturday, feels that membership in NATO in the future would clarify and improve Finland’s international position. Katainen, 32, was chosen to the post at the party’s congress in Seinäjoki on Saturday. In the second round of voting he defeated MP Ilkka Kanerva.
MEP Marjo Matikainen-Kallström, the poll favourite before the congress, narrowly failed to make it into the second round.
Soon after his election the new chairman said that he does not want to change the ideological policy line of the National Coalition Party. Katainen had been one of his party’s deputy chairs under outgoing chairman Ville Itälä, and had taken part in the drafting of the party’s strategy.
He stated as his goal to raise public support for the party to between 22 and 25% by 2007, and to bring the party out of opposition.
In an address to the party delegates on Sunday, the new leader defined his values as cost-effectiveness, education and culture, tolerance, and caring.
Outlining his political goals, Katainen faulted the government for not recognising the changes taking place in Finland. One example that he gave was corporate taxation, which he said could turn Finland into a "subsidiary company economy".
He also called for an annual one percentage point reduction in the taxation of work, without forgetting those with higher incomes.
Katainen warned that with no improvement in employment, the foundation of the government’s policy programme will crumble, and services will face a financial crisis.
He offered to cooperate with the government on taxation issues, the lowering of employers’ contributions, improving the efficiency of labour market policy, and raising the tax deduction for domestic work.
Katainen called for securing the quality of basic education, better vocational training, and increased funding for research and development. He also sees an urgent need for a national immigration strategy to secure the supply of expertise.
"The public sector should learn to behave better if it wants to get employees in the future", he warned, in reference to the low pay and short-term contracts of those in the caring professions, which have proved to be an incentive for many in the field to emigrate.
On European policy, Katainen says that Finland needs to be in the cores of Europe. He wants Finland to take part in the rapid deployment crisis management forces, and calls for corresponding changes in the law on peacekeeping operations.
"The National Coalition Party feels that future membership in NATO would clarify and improve Finland’s position", Katainen said, adding that Finland’s security policy should include "an active NATO option".
On Sunday, Marjo Matikainen-Kallström, who narrowly failed to reach the second round in the National Coalition Party’s leadership race, won the largest number of votes when the party chose three deputy chairs.
The other two are Members of Parliament Jari Koskinen and Paula Risikko.
The National Coalition Party congress also passed a resolution supporting the mention of Europe’s Christian heritage in the preamble to the upcoming EU constitution.
Because of delays, the party congress was not able to debate a statement on security policy, and the issue was moved to the party’s delegate council.
The National Coalition Party also called for bringing down the voting age in municipal elections from the present 18 to 16 years.
Helsingin Sanomat
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| 7.6.2004 - TODAY |
 New National Coalition Party chairman wants to activate NATO option |
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