Niinistö considers options after lack of support from MPs in Speaker's election

Painfully low vote secures position for new Parliamentary session

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Speaker of Parliament Sauli Niinistö (National Coalition Party) was re-elected to his position on the eve of a new session of Parliament by just 89 votes from the 200 MPs.
      In an annual election to determine who will lead plenary sessions of Parliament that is normally something of a foregone conclusion, the number of votes is unusually low.
     
Niinistö was re-elected because he secured a majority of the votes that were declared valid.
      After his election, Niinistö appeared completely flabbergasted.
      He said he was considering whether he can realistically continue in the position after being the object of such a widespread vote of no confidence in his handling of the task.
      ”Welcome to come and find out", he replied to a question of whether he would be taking his place on the podium alongside President Tarja Halonen for the traditional opening of a new session of Parliament on Wednesday.
      Niinistö noted at the post-election press conference that he would have to consider withdrawing, but he left his decision open. He added that under the law he could not actually refuse to take the position after being elected to it, but argued that the Speaker would be in an untenable position when the lack of support from the MPs was so palpable.
     
Niinistö said that the protest had come to him without any advance warning.
      He noted that nobody had offered any criticism of his earlier actions as Speaker face-to-face.
      Niinistö was visibly nervous: his hands were shaking and there were beads of perspiration on his brow. He said he would chew over the situation for a day or two.
     
The numbers indicate that some of the MPs wished to give the Speaker a sharp rap over the knuckles.
      Pekka Ravi (National Coalition Party) received 25 votes.
      A total of 29 MPs left a blank paper in the urn, and 15 votes were rejected, presumably because they were spoiled ballots. Scattered votes went to around a dozen other MPs.
     
Some MPs have felt that Niinistö has been overly officious in his demands to oversee the way in which Parliament spends its money, and have seen this as a device for currying favour with the public.
      The crackdown on members' spending has led to situations in which MPs have no business cards for international meetings, where some MPs have had to stay in different (and cheaper) hotels from fellow-delegates from other countries, and there have also been arguments over the use of economy class versus business class flights.
      Niinistö's line on administrative reforms for Parliament has also put some backs up among the representatives. Immediately prior to the Speaker election, Niinistö insisted he was not about to change course.
     
In the previous election to the post a year ago, Niinistö received 141 votes, with 18 abstentions and 13 spoiled ballots.
      In April 2007, when he was first chosen as Speaker following the most recent general election, he took 151 of the 200 votes.
      Whilst Niinistö may have generated a measure of rancour among his peers in Parliament, he remains far and away the most popular candidate in presidential election polls.
      The next President of the Republic is to be elected in 2012, and it remains to be seen how this latest development affects the race.
     
In Tuesday's vote Tarja Filatov (SDP) and Seppo Kääriäinen (Centre Party) were duly elected as Deputy Speakers for the new Parliament term, which will be the last before general elections in March 2011.
      Both Kääriäinen (re-elected for a third time, with 165 votes) and Filatov (elected for a first term with 160 votes) enjoyed support across the chamber, but Filatov had a mixed day: she was ousted as leader of the Social Democrats' party wing, as the SDP Chairman Jutta Urpilainen wanted to see the former leader of the party Eero Heinäluoma in the job. Heinäluoma was chosen by 26 votes to 13 from among Sociel Democrat MPs.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Niinistö organises inspection of finances of Parliament´s hobby clubs (8.10.2009)
  Parliament receives huge bill for centennial wines (29.9.2009)
  Speaker Niinistö wants to change Parliament´s pay system for MPs´ aides (22.2.2008)
  Niinistö chosen as new Speaker of Parliament (25.4.2007)

See also:
  Poll: Speaker of Parliament Sauli Niinistö remains favourite choice for next president (10.8.2009)

Links:
  Parliament of Finland - Speaker

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