Niinistö chosen as new Speaker of Parliament

Parliament debates government programme

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National Coalition Party MP Sauli Niinistö was named Speaker of Parliament on Tuesday. In a secret vote in the 200-member Parliament, Niinistö got 151 votes.
     In his speech thanking Parliament, Niinistö called for "fast debate and crystallised thought", and called on the government to express its political will "as unambiguously, clearly, and openly as possible".
     Niinistö said that he trusts that the government will pay attention to the quality of preparation of proposed legislation.
     Centre Party MP Timo Kalli, who had held the Speaker's post during the government formation talks, will now focus on chairing the Parliamentary group of the main government party, the Centre.
     
Taking over as the first Deputy Speaker of Parliament is former Minister of Defence Seppo Kääriäinen (Centre).
      Ilkka Kanerva (Nat. Coalition Party), who held the post temporarily, is the Foreign Minister of the new four-party coalition government.
     The second Deputy Speaker, Johannes Koskinen (SDP) held on to the post to which he was named when the new Parliament convened.
     
Parliament followed a practice established about 20 years ago, under which the Speaker of Parliament is chosen from a large government party which does not hold the post of Prime Minister.
     
Tuesday's debate in the new Parliament focused on the government's policy programme.
     Opposition Parliamentarians of the Left Alliance and the Social Democrats launched a sharp attack on the government's plans to eliminate inheritance taxes in connection with passing on family farms, forest land and businesses from one generation to the next. SDP Parliamentary group leader Tarja Filatov said that such a move would lead to more social inequality.
      Annika Lapintie of the Left Alliance said that it would create an "inheritance tax-free new nobility - land owners", pointing out that the proposal would retain inheritance taxes on wage earners.
      Matti Ahde (SDP) went a step further, saying that the government's proposal violates the constitution.
     
Responding to the attacks from the opposition, Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (Centre) insisted that the new government has a "sensitive social conscience", and that increasing fairness was a key aspect of the government's taxation policy.
     
Parliament continues debate on the programme of the new government throughout the day today, and on Thursday.
     On Friday there will be a vote of confidence in the government. If Parliament were to unexpectedly vote against the government programme, the new government would have to resign, and new government formation talks would have to be held.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Finland´s new government takes office (19.4.2007)

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