Opposition calls for clarification of Finnish EU affairs' management

PM Vanhanen: Centre Party has no need to reduce Presidential powers

Jyrki Katainen

Tarja Cronberg

Päivi Räsänen

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The opposition National Coalition Party, the Green League, and the Christian Democrats want more clarity in the allocation of responsibility between the President and Prime Minister in policy concerning the European Union. The Greens and the National Coalition Party want to emphasise the role of the Prime Minister in policy toward the EU.
      "EU policy, including the foreign policy of the EU, is internal policy. It would be sensible for responsibility and power in these matters to be clearly with the Prime Minister and Parliament", explains National Coalition Party leader Jyrki Katainen.
      Green League chairwoman Traja Cronberg feels that problems linked with the distribution of foreign policy responsibility will only increase as the EU takes a stronger role in foreign and security policy matters.
     
Katainen feels that the present distribution of authority between the President and Prime Minister could lead to confusion in other countries over who is in charge of setting Finland’s foreign policy line.
      Katainen and Cronberg feel that constitutional amendments which strengthen the powers of the Prime Minister should be drafted during the time that the next government is in power.
      The Christian Democratic Party is also in favour of greater clarity in the making of foreign policy, but feels that public opinion that favours a strong president also needs to be taken into consideration.
     
In Brussels, Prime Minister and Centre Party leader Matti Vanhanen said that he does not see a need for the next Parliament to amend the constitution with the aim of reducing the powers of the president.
      "It is a question for the government programme. The Centre has no acute need for change."
      Vanhanen noted in the afternoon that the three largest parties, the Centre, the Social Democrats, and the National Coalition Party, said before the presidential elections earlier this year that there was no need to amend the constitution. If other parties want to do so after next year's parliamentary election, Vanhanen says that he might "consider" such a move. However, he opposed any rapid changes.
     
Taking part in the same Brussels meeting was President Tarja Halonen. She suggested indirectly that there was no reason to meddle with the constitution.
      At a press conference held with Vanhanen last night, Halonen said that it is a good idea to use the knowledge and personal relations of a president in connection with the EU Presidency.
      "I will try to insure that the Prime Minister has the main responsibility", she said, adding that the strengths of all available people should be used.
      Vanhanen added that he would like to gather experiences from the new constitution that took effect in 2000 before any changes are made.
     
The leaders of the other two government parties, Social Democratic Party chairman Eero Heinäluoma and Swedish People’s Party chairman Stefan Wallin, also do not see any reason to change the constitution in an individual matter before a more overall review.
      From the Social Democrats’ point of view, cooperation between the government and the President has proceeded well.
      "Finland can only benefit from a president who enjoys respect, and who has good international ties. What is most important is that this debate should not make the position of the president excessively difficult in international connections.
     
Left Alliance chairman Matti Korhonen sees the mutual agreement between the president and prime minister to be of primary importance. "It is strange if agreement cannot be reached on these matters as the EU Presidency approaches", Korhonen points out.
      Korhonen also notes that amending the constitution is not without problems: "Defining the issue in detail in the law is nearly impossible, because situations change and life goes on."
      "This is an untenable situation. The battle of prestige over the invitation extended to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin has become almost comical", says the Christian Democrats’ Päivi Räsänen.
      True Finns’ chairman Timo Soini dismisses what he calls the "prestige debate" as silly. He says that the reason behind the debate is an attempt to turn the president into a "master of ceremonies and cutter of ribbons". Soini sees no reason to change the constitution.
     
While Prime Minister Vanhanen clearly holds the leadership of Finnish policy toward the EU, problems in the distribution of responsibility for foreign policy have again come to a head.
      Under the constitution, Finnish foreign policy is led by the President in cooperation with the government, and decisions on EU matters are made by the government under the leadership of the Prime Minister.
      However, the distinction between foreign policy and EU policy is not always clear cut.
      This week there has been some controversy over the invitation extended by President Halonen to Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend the unofficial EU summit in Lahti later this year.
      During the Presidential election campaign there was debate over who would represent Finland and the whole EU at the G-8 meeting in St. Petersburg.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  President and Government have different opinions on EU representation (15.6.2006)
  Halonen in St. Petersburg, invites Putin to EU summit in Lahti (14.6.2006)

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