The Party Leadership Has Strong Party Secretary Riik- ka Slunga and Party Chairman Timo Soini Faith in the EU Elections stress the importance of the Euro-elections: - Not voting is silent approval of the EU’s Come join present bail-out policy. us, we have a party for you - The Finns Party is once again the only choice. Party Chairman Timo Soini and Party Secretary Riikka Slunga-Poutsalo emphasize that cooperation has already been formed with media channels, partners and other groups throughout Europe. THIS spring’s EU election will be historic staff – says Soini. ly - candidates should do their best to or- – it will be a definite measure of the pub- - Soini notes that the Party can increase ganize and work together with the group lic support for the EU policies of the pres- the knowledge and skills of EU officials, leadership. ent Finnish government. Voters will be able MEPs and the Finnish Parliament with ac- to turn these policies to a new direction – a tive participation and diligent work – the Three seats are coming similar movement can happen throughout result can be the learning and applications Europe. The Finns Party is monting an ac- of new ideas and possibilities. Soini: there are two possibilities – the tive campaign in the whole country. - The Party is in a good situation in Eu- message gets across and we win – or the rope – there is a desire to join with us. We voters stay home. All Issues In the EU Can Be also are the best known Finnish party in - The Finns Party is again the only choice. Influenced and Changed the EU. Last time one could choose Timo Soi- ni or stay home. Now the possibilities are What issues in the EU can be changed Take it easy – respect your colleagues to choose among 20 candidates or stay- with the elections, Chairman Timo Soini? ing home. Our policy is, we believe, impres- - The position and power of the EU-Par- Soini emphasizes that candidates must sive: we’ve been consistent and we’ve kept liament is strong - it can have an influence commit to the Party’s program as well as our promises, Soini emphasizes.. Soini pre- on just about everything concerning the their own program. dicts that three candidates will win and a EU, Soini says. Soini notes that those elect- The candidates are indeed the Party’s large, similarly-minded group will succeed ed must find good assistants and make candidates. Candidates should not be dis- throughout Europe. This larger coalition connections with others via ‘good network- tracted by other parties – and not to con- will give a better than before possibility for ing!’ His own experience and contacts can centrate on what they perceive of as short improved co-operation and subsequent in- help find good people. comings in other Party’s candidates. Rather, fluence on issues. The Europarliament is Our most important mission is to open let’s all move forward TOGETHER! able to function as a relatively free body as the doors to change.. We have already set Candidates should refrain from ques- there is no executive that can shackle the the groundwork for cooperation with var- tionable remarks - such remarks result in parliamentary influence. ious media channels, partners and other an unwanted disruption of where we ant groups – as well as having a multinational to go. Words must be chosen intelligent- 2 EU ELECTIONS 2014 The Party Leadership Has Strong Faith in the EU Elections Come join us, we have a party for you the Finnish Parliamentary elections; we been talk of just boycotting the election A group can surely be found look to similar support in the Euro-elec- because simply there should be no EU. But tions. This is very likely as the Euro-poli- with discussion of what elections can ac- Soini believes that Euroskeptics can form cy of the Finns Party has the backing of the complish and how we can influence the an effective group - to which the Finn Party majority – including the rejection of the Euro-parliament, it was clear election work can join and have an active voice. bailout program. was definitely worth the effort. The voice - Last time I went to Brussels alone and - Soini says the Party has the possibili- of Euroskeptics should be heard, Slunga- was able to work with Neil Farage on the ty to significantly influence the direction of Poutsalo emphasizes. Information about foundations of the EFD, says Soini. He the Finnish government’s Euro-policy. Suc- the Euro-elections were distributed since praises Sampo Terho in diligently continu- cess of the Finns Party in the coming elec- the beginning of last year. Election dis- ing Soini’s work so that the frameworks tions can affect general Finnish govern- trict members were trained following local of co-operation have been not only main- ment policy as well and thusly the position communal elections. tained but deveoped. of the present government becomes more For me, Slunga-Poutsalo says, election - Sampo has been a conscientious and difficult. If the government’s Euro-candi- work means a lot of speaking and being on well-respected parliamentary member, says dates do badly, it could lead to a collapse the scene itself - with and advising the Par- an appreciative Soini. of the government, Soini notes - with refer- ty members and candidates – not just on ence to the Social Democrat Party’s decline. the market squares and among the poten- tial voters. The election work has begun The Euro-revolt must be brought Election work – always worth it very well, notes Slunga-Poutsalo, and she to a conclusion predicts she will be many days in the field Soini stresses that it is the citizens that Practical election work is done from the during the spring. decide who is chosen. It’s most impor- ground up – through local election districts TEXT VELI-PEKKA LESKELÄ tant to go full speed into the elections and and is supervised by the party secretary – PHOTO BY MATTI MATIKAINEN come to a solution: the Party stayed out of Riikka Slunga-Poutsalo. She assures that the government because of EU-policy. Vot- proper resources are available for elector- ers strongly supported the Finns Party in al success. Motivation is also important. There has UUTISET.PERUSSUOMALAISET.FI 3 Buzz on the Election Stage The Finns Party Euro-election candi- dates travel eagerly around Finland. HELSINKI Election work is done happily and THE TENT at Helsinki’s Narinkka Market Square is humming with Euro-Parliament candidates – among with great heart – and help comes them Laura Huhtasaari and Piritta from hard-working supporters. Poikonen. HELSINKI THE FINNS PARTY Women’ organized an event at the Kamppi Narink- ka Market Square in Helsinki. The picture shows candidates Piritta Poikonen, Sampo Terho, Pirkko Ruohonen-Lerner, Johanna Jurva, Anne Louhelainen, and Laura Huhtasaari as well as Kike Elomaa (front). NIVALA TURKU ‘THE FINNS PARTY WOMEN’ had its own stand with a continual crowd at the Turku Fair. The picture shows MEP candidates Maria THE FINNS PARTY set up a Euro-election event and was attended Lohela and Piritta Poikonen, Finnish Parliament member Kike Elomaa by candidates Maria Lohela, Marko Kulpakko and Pirkko Mattila. as well as Mira Katajamäki and Leila Hannula. 4 EU ELECTIONS 2014 LOHJA KEMPELE MEP CANDIDATES Mauno Vanhala, Ilkka Matinpalo, Piritta Poikonen, Erkki Havansi and Sampo Terho and the ‘Election Cart’ – known from the communal elections. MARKO KULPAKKO (left) got warm hugs in Kempele. VAASA EURO-PARLIAMENT candidate Maria Tolppanen at the Vaasa Autumn Fair LOHJA KUOPIO MEP CANDIDATE Pirtta Pokonen Euro at the Lohja Market sur- rounded with support by Election Coordinator Pekka M. Sinisalo and JANUARY MARKET shivers but MEP candidates Kimmo Kivelä and Party Secretary Riikka Slunga-Poutsalo. Pirkko Mattila are pleased with the election atmosphere. UUTISET.PERUSSUOMALAISET.FI 5 The road to a better Europe The Finns Party is the only party in the The EU is experiencing the biggest crisis in its history. At the Finnish parliament that has consistent- same time as the elite is trying to centralize power in Brussels, ly opposed the centralization of the EU. We don’t accept the non-democratic nature of there are critical voices growing throughout Europe against that the supervision and control by the Commis- centralization. The question to be answered by the Euro-elections sion – as it narrows the scope of Finnish in- dependence. We also do not approve of the of 2014 is which direction will be chosen. common financial responsibility and liabili- ty – which also has a definite moral difficul- SOME of the Euroskeptic parties want to state loses the ability to decide on the use ty as those that cause the problem do not disengage completely from the EU while of its own funds, create operational legisla- have to bear the consequences. others believe the EU can still be saved. tion and even not being able to effectively All parties are dissatisfied with the present oppose bad decisions by a centralized gov- From the centralization of power situation. Which is the way to go? To con- ernment. to decentralization tinue the current policies with people re- It’s difficult to understand how even an sisting the central power of a federal gov- extreme dreamer can see how this central For the past two decades the EU has, ernment? Or should there by an opening of state development can be in Finland’s fa- through complex constitutional arrange- new paths towards something else? vor. If we give these powers to such a cen- ments, accumulated more central pow- tral government – when we have in the er than many would want to give and even What Federal State? Euro-patliament a mere 2 % of the repre- that many don’t realize it has.