Pekka Haavisto returns to Parliament

Former presidential candidate does not see homophobia as major factor in his defeat

print this

Green League presidential candidate Pekka Haavisto does not believe that his homosexuality would have tipped the presidential race against him.
      “It was the whole that was decisive. Naturally, with some, the issue might be more important than with some others, but this is not where the dividing line went in these elections.”
      At a press conference on Monday, Haavisto voiced his feelings about the Sunday election. The former candidate said in a somewhat hoarse voice that he is “alive, tired, but happy”.
     
Haavisto thanked the winner Sauli Niinistö for a contest held in a positive spirit. He did not agree with those critics who said that the second round was too easy-going and gentlemanly.
      “I liked the nature of the discussion, because we were able to raise issues to the front burner in a calm and appropriate style”, Haavisto said.
     
Haavisto was present when Parliament, after returning from its Christmas break, started its session by voting for a new presidium.
      At one point, Haavisto was the centre of a crowd of MPs from different parties who came to congratulate him for his campaign.
      Well-wishers ranged from Teuvo Hakkarainen of the Finns Party to SDP chairwoman Jutta Urpilainen.
     
Already earlier in the day, sentiments in the Green parliamentary group were anything but despondent. At 11:00 in the morning, member of the group were raising glasses of champagne to the more than one million votes won by Haavisto in the second round.
      Party chairman Ville Niinistö did not disguise his satisfaction. He sees many opportunities for further utilisation of the outcome.
     
“Hundreds of thousands of people voted for a Green candidate the first time. Hopefully, this enthusiasm will stick”, Niinistö says.
      In his view, it is also to the credit of the Haavisto campaign that the Greens became familiar in communities where they were previously seen as a distant group.
      “The message has been that we are not self-nurturing types from Helsinki - we’re just ordinary Finns.”
     
Haavisto says that there has not yet been any discussion in the party about how the political capital from his campaign might be put to good use.
      “Something that was discussed more on the night of the election was if this movement of respect for human dignity be utilised. For instance, could the artists take part in work on behalf of people who have been marginalised and bullied? I think that these are bigger themes than the municipal elections”, Haavisto said to Helsingin Sanomat.
     
Haavisto is nevertheless convinced that political campaigns in Finland will not be the same after this election.
      “We noticed that there are many young people who do not read newspapers or watch television, but who follow the social media very intensely. With its help it was possible to arrange public events with 200 people attending at six hours’ notice.”
     
And what were the first thoughts of the losing candidate Haavisto when he woke up on Monday morning?
      “It was that today there will not be 11 events that I have to go to. It was nice to have coffee with Antonio and to have a conversation in peace.”
      As for his own future, Haavisto would only say that he plans to continue his work as a Member of Parliament. The Greens will choose a leader for their parliamentary group next week.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  A third of voters steadfastly opposed to Haavisto; fewer reject Niinistö out of hand (1.2.2012)

Helsingin Sanomat