Poll: Kiviniemi most popular candidate for Centre Party leadership

Gap with rival Mauri Pekkarinen grows since March

Mari Kiviniemi

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Minister of Public Administration and Local Government Mari Kiviniemi is seen as an increasingly popular favourite to become the next chair of the Centre Party.
      According to a poll commissioned by Helsingin Sanomat and conducted by Suomen Gallup, 37 per cent were in favour of Kiviniemi. She is followed by Minister of Economic Affairs Mauri Pekkarinen, who has 18 per cent support among the population at large.
     
Reached during a campaign tour in the Ostrobothnia region, Kiviniemi said that the support feels good, but that she needs to be humble when she goes into the party congress.
      She said that her campaign, which began in April, is starting to bear fruit. Kiviniemi also very much appreciates the endorsement that she has received from former party leader Anneli Jäätteenmäki.
      Foreign Trade and Development Minister Paavo Väyrynen and MP Timo Kaunisto have fallen far behind in the figures.
     
The survey showed that 45 per cent of women favoured Kiviniemi. Among the youngest age group, those under 24, Pekkarinen was slightly more popular than Kiviniemi. Just under a third of those surveyed had no opinion.
      In an earlier poll, directed at members of the Centre Party, 44 per cent saw Kiviniemi as the best candidate, while 30 per cent supported Pekkarinen.
     
While Kiviniemi is the favourite of both the public at large and the members of her own party, it is still possible that she will not be chosen as the party’s new chair.
      The choice is to be made by about 4,000 delegates from around the country who will attend the Centre Party congress in Lahti starting on Saturday, June 12th.
      Many of the delegates will be mandated by their local party organisations to vote for a certain candidate. If no candidates get a majority in the first round, a runoff will be held between the top two.
     
Paavo Väyrynen noted that there has been much publicity all spring about the frontrunners, and that “it would be strange if that were not reflected in the surveys”, he said.
      “The Party congress will make its decisions according to its discretion”, he added.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  YLE: former Centre Party chairman and PM Anneli Jäätteenmäki backs candidacy of Mari Kiviniemi (31.5.2010)
  Mari Kiviniemi most popular candidate for Centre Party leadership (26.5.2010)
  Vanhanen still to divulge reasons for decision not to stand for re-election as Centre Party chairman (24.5.2010)
  Mauri Pekkarinen enters race for Centre Party leadership (26.2.2010)

Helsingin Sanomat