Opposition parties want Vanhanen to report on campaign funding matter on Thursday
International news services picking up on campaign financing issue
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The four parties in the Parliamentary opposition are not yet planning an interpellation (basically something approaching a motion of censure) on the election campaign issue.
It was agreed at a meeting of the leaders of the parties and their Parliamentary groups on Thursday that Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (Centre) should be urged to report to Parliament on the background of the election campaign financing activities of the KMS organisation at 4:00 PM Thursday, a time which is usually reserved for Parliamentary Question Time.
The largest opposition party, the Social Democrats, along with the Left Alliance, the Christian Democrats, and the True Finns, are also keeping open the possibility of an interpellation next week, if the information that comes out on Thursday gives cause for such a move.
The difference between a debate surrounding a Prime Minister’s report and an interpellation is that the report is followed by debate, but there is no vote of confidence in the government, as is the case with an interpellation.
Until now, Finland's political funding scandal has caused plenty of waves within the country itself, but has not figured much in the international media, probably to the relief of all involved.
However, the subject is beginning to surface elsewhere, as a search on Google News reveals.
On Tuesday, the Financial Times carried an article giving the background to the convoluted case, and noted that Finland's long-cherished position as "least corrupt" on the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index was being cast into some doubt.
The FT journalist writes: "Politicians in Finland are now working overtime to draw up and pass legislation that will clear up the current mess, by finally introducing sanctions for politicians who do not reveal their funding sources. But the questions remain of why such shadowy legislation was drawn up in the first place by a country so committed to transparency, and why it was not reformed sooner."
More on this subject:
 Preparations for Centre Party congress overshadowed by campaign finance controversy
Links:
Financial Times (10.6.2008): Funding scandal taints Finland´s reputation
Bloomberg.com (5.6.2008): Finland Loses Least-Sleazy Reputation as Lawmakers Flout Rules
Helsingin Sanomat
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