Tarja Cronberg wins Green League leadership in close race
Newcomer to party wants to increase Green appeal in rural areas
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The party congress of the Green League narrowly chose MP Tarja Cronberg for a two-year term as the party’s new chair on Sunday. In the second round of voting in the west coast city of Kokkola, Cronberg defeated her rival, MP Anni Sinnemäki, by a vote of 128 - 118.
Two other candidates, the incumbent chairman, MP Osmo Soininvaara and MP Irina Krohn, dropped out of the race in the first round of voting.
Cronberg said that as leader of the Greens, she would work to make the party "a genuine party of the future covering the whole country".
A key issue driving Cronberg’s campaign has been an effort to increase the party’s appeal in rural areas. The Green League has its greatest support in Finland’s cities.
Cronberg, a 61-year-old from Northern Karelia, was elected to Parliament in 2003 as an independent candidate for the Greens. She joined the party in March this year. She said that her election is an indication of changes in the thinking in the party.
Although the vote indicated a near even split, all candidates gave assurances that there is no division into two camps within the party.
Sinnemäki got a good consolation prize: she was chosen the party’s first deputy chair, and would not admit that she was disappointed.
"Both posts have their advantages, and I am motivated to work. Now we need to work to make sure that the divisions that perhaps came out during the debate do not remain."
Helsingin Sanomat
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| 23.5.2005 - TODAY |
 Tarja Cronberg wins Green League leadership in close race
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