Finnish Election Part Two

by Sven Triloqvist Wed Apr 20th, 2011 at 09:34:04 AM EST

Apart from the fact that the outgoing PM has gone back on her word to bring the Portugal bailout before a special session of Parliament - thus possibly dooming the EU agreement that has to be settled by middle May (by which time the new government is unlikely to have been formed), there's this (copyright: Martti Leppänen 2011)

THIS is an interactive map that is based on the answers candidates (now elected) gave to the Helsingin Sanomat 'Election Machine'.

There were 31 questions, with the usual 5 gradations of 'strongly agree' to 'strongly disagree'. Additionally, the answer to a particular question could be prioritised. It took me about 20 - 30 minutes - but I assume the candidates spent a lot more time on it. They were straightforward and key questions.

The Election Machine then came up with the 5 candidates closest to one's own views.

The new interactive map reveals some interesting trends: firstly, the True Finns have essentially socialist positions!

The map is in Finnish, but it's fairly easy to understand.

The horizontal axis is political Left to Right, the vertical (top first) is conservative values to liberal values.

At the right top are the election regions (click on the ones you want to view on the map with general choices of deselecting or choosing all)

At the bottom right are the parties (same selections)

Below that are old and new MPs (vanhat or uudet)
Then Male (Miehet) or Female (Naiset)

The Election Machine has always been a very useful tool. This map makes it even more so.

Finnish Election Part Two | 17 comments (17 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: Finnish Election Part Two (none / 0)

It does seem that some "far-right" parties are either

socialist in economic terms (Denmark, Finland, BNP)
sell themselves as welfare-friendly - though they are not (The Netherlands)

Maybe they should be only classed in group 2...

by cagatacos on Wed Apr 20th, 2011 at 11:18:17 AM EST

Re: Finnish Election Part Two (none / 0)

The Danish ugly party is left-wing on economics only in comparison to the government it works with. In reality, they're willing to sell their economic policy to whomever gives them their "values" policies, so they will be the same colour as the government they're in, though usually a bit more centrist due to their reliance upon the gut.

- Jake

Friends come and go. Enemies accumulate.

by JakeS (JangoSierra 'at' gmail 'dot' com) on Wed Apr 20th, 2011 at 12:11:20 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Finnish Election Part Two (none / 0)

Same with the Swedish ugly party. They support the right-wing in almost everything (I think I saw a number on 94% right of straight bloc votes) but makes sure to get some press by supporting a few leftist proposals that they can tilt for their agenda. For example: the left bloc proposed a ban on selling more state corporations and the ugly party supported it because the companies would probably be bought by foreigners.

Sweden's finest (and perhaps only) collaborative, leftist e-newspaper Synapze.se

by A swedish kind of death on Wed Apr 20th, 2011 at 02:15:29 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Finnish Election Part Two (none / 0)

Extreme conservatives seem to be accepted or at least tolerated better in right wing parties. There is more space for a highly conservative left wing party than a right wing party.

by Jute on Tue Apr 26th, 2011 at 06:26:11 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Finnish Election Part Two (none / 0)

By unclicking the other parties it is easy to see the True Finns are neatly within the upper left quadrant with only a few outliers wandering into the upper right. Add the Social Democrats to see the overlap of the parties. It's the National Coalition Party (Kookomus) that's the odd one out with the majority of that party being well to the Right of both the TF and SDP.

By this we can predict no substantial change to the ~~Swedish~~ Nordic Economic Model.

What will change under a True Blue Red government is a sharp shift to the Arch-Conservative along the y-axis. I take it this means a sharp turn towards a Finnish-centric foreign (Screw the EU & all it's works) and domestic (Finland-for-the-Finns!) policies.

She believed in nothing; only her skepticism kept her from being an atheist. -- Jean-Paul Sartre

by ATinNM on Wed Apr 20th, 2011 at 12:46:56 PM EST

Re: Finnish Election Part Two (none / 0)

Seems Soini is dead center, more or less, in True Finn Economic policy and on the extreme when it comes to Social policy.

She believed in nothing; only her skepticism kept her from being an atheist. -- Jean-Paul Sartre

by ATinNM on Wed Apr 20th, 2011 at 12:55:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Finnish Election Part Two (none / 0)

The latter is not surprising if Finnish Wikipedia is correct when it says that he became a Catholic because the Lutherans approved ordination of women and abortion (Wikipedia in other languages just says that he became a Catholic after visiting Ireland....)

by gk (gk (gk quattro due due sette @gmail.com)) on Wed Apr 20th, 2011 at 01:07:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Finnish Election Part Two (none / 0)

I haven't read the Finnish Wiki, but I have read from reliable sources elsewhere. Conversion to Catholicism is very rare in Finland. Even being a Catholic through birth is also rare. Catholicism raises a Roger Moore eyebrow here, in a way that Russian Orthodoxy does not.

The Orthodox church experience (I was helping a particularly striking Pre-Raphaelite redhead come to terms with her divorce at the time) was interesting. I had not realised that people just wander around talking or kissing Ikons, there is no formal seating. Meanwhile a small choir does the Gregorian bit, which along with the incense is a weird but not unwonderful experience. I also went to the New Vallamo monastery at Heinävesi near the Russian border (Yes, I was quite keen on her) and stayed for a long weekend that was full of joy and laughter. Brother Antero made a sweet sort of Georgian red that was perfectly drinkable in context. The Archimandrite was also a wonderful person, ready to discuss any subject openly and respectfully. We had a sauna together.

But, and I quote, I digress.

So Soini's conversion is very odd. He also comes from Rauma on the West coast, which has been visited regularly since the Vikings, and after them the pirate Fairdeelers, who have all ensured that Swedish genes and culture took hold on Finnish soil. So he was brought up in a town that was then, probably, 50 % Swedish speaking.

Some resentment from his childhood perhaps?

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Wed Apr 20th, 2011 at 01:39:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Finnish Election Part Two (none / 0)

According to this there's some baggage from the Tsarist Russification policy.

You tell me what it means. :-)

She believed in nothing; only her skepticism kept her from being an atheist. -- Jean-Paul Sartre

by ATinNM on Wed Apr 20th, 2011 at 01:48:14 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Finnish Election Part Two (none / 1)

One might call it Russification, but the two cultures have been fused (at least in the East) for thousands of years. IMO the Tsarist period of 1809 - 1906 was extremely beneficial to Finland. And apart from the Winter and Continuation Wars, our relationship has continued to be a plus for Finland, and, I hope, for Russia also.

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Wed Apr 20th, 2011 at 02:08:50 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Finnish Election Part Two (none / 1)

It was a relatively short episode in the larger scope of things, and as it was unsuccesful it was soon to be outdone by the events of World War II.

Russification of Finland - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The policy of Russification of Finland (1899-1905 and 1908-1917, called sortokaudet/sortovuodet (times/years of oppression) in Finnish) was a governmental policy of the Russian Empire aimed at limiting the special status of the Grand Duchy of Finland and possibly the termination of its political autonomy and cultural uniqueness. It was a part of a larger policy of Russification pursued by late 19th-early 20th century Russian governments which tried to abolish cultural and administrative autonomy of non-Russian minorities within the empire.

Sweden's finest (and perhaps only) collaborative, leftist e-newspaper Synapze.se

by A swedish kind of death on Wed Apr 20th, 2011 at 02:20:33 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Finnish Election Part Two (4.00 / 4)

Russification was just a language legislation. Russians wanted russia as an government, official, language along with swedish and finnish. That made the "elites" go bezerk and they started to talk about "oppression." In reality "oppression" started already during swedish time around 1765 with feudal legislation that transformed Finland from a country of independent farmers to feudalism.

Russification was also beneficial to Finland. Elites had to choose: lose power or turn democratic, and they chose the latter.

by kjr63 on Thu Apr 21st, 2011 at 06:37:19 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Finnish Election Part Two (none / 1)

kjr63:

Russification was just a language legislation.

Not only, it was also dissolution of local autonomy when it came to legislation, merging the local administration with the russian, and recruitment of conscripts from Finland.

kjr63:

In reality "oppression" started already during swedish time around 1765 with feudal legislation that transformed Finland from a country of independent farmers to feudalism.

It is unclear to me what this references to. Do you have a link or other reference?

kjr63:

Russification was also beneficial to Finland. Elites had to choose: lose power or turn democratic, and they chose the latter.

No objections here.

Sweden's finest (and perhaps only) collaborative, leftist e-newspaper Synapze.se

by A swedish kind of death on Thu Apr 21st, 2011 at 07:03:00 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Finnish Election Part Two (none / 1)

Not only, it was also dissolution of local autonomy when it came to legislation, merging the local administration with the russian, and recruitment of conscripts from Finland.

Not in the beginning. There was 2 "russification periods" and the first (February manifest, 1899) was only about official language and army. Parliament was established 1905 and the second "oppression" was that much more serious. It was not started by emperor, but the much more more nastier institution, the new russian Duma, that did not have any understanding about finnish autonomy.

It is unclear to me what this references to. Do you have a link or other reference?

This is what i found from wikipedia:

http://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torpare

Renter farmer "institution" started 1740 when all land owners were allowed to rent land and collect "tax." The reason behind this, was the swedish law (like everywhere else in europe) that forbade distribution of land. Originally all farms paid tax to crown, but by the end of 19th century it was pure feudalism.

by kjr63 on Thu Apr 21st, 2011 at 04:14:31 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Finnish Election Part Two (none / 1)

(Paraphrased from a Finnish news item)

The Speaker of Parliament Sauli Niinistö (National Coalition) expressed surprise Wednesday night (on political TV program) at talk of Finland losing its reputation re the Portugal bailout. He implied that Finland had been paying its share, and compared to Britain, which held 30 times greater Greek debt than Finland, "our share was 1.5 billion and the British nothing."

He said we have a right to be critical and demand accountability. I would add that it's not immensely painful either - Finland - it's been said - could pick up a few billion from the 'market' at the lowest rate any time it wishes - such is the credit rating. We just borrowed, surprise, surprise, 1.5 billion at 2.8% over 20 years or something...

Niinistö has not yet declared for President, but probably will because he wants to keep an eye on the younger members of his party - who will most likely be in the next government.

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Wed Apr 20th, 2011 at 04:07:37 PM EST

Re: Finnish Election Part Two (none / 0)

Some news: Soini and "true finns" have said categorically "no" to bank bailout. Now it's up to SDP whether there will be a government lead by NCP, and finnish "yes" to bailout.

by kjr63 on Mon May 2nd, 2011 at 08:48:11 AM EST

Re: Finnish Election Part Two (none / 1)

My guess is, that SDP will sell out in this issue and there will be NCP-SDP government. SDP has already started to downplay the significance of bailout in media.

It was fun as long at it lasted. The "new" SDP is the same as the old one. Never to be trusted and next follows the old story about "education" and "social values" bla, bla. Labour will pay and bankers celebrate.

by kjr63 on Mon May 2nd, 2011 at 09:02:42 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Finnish Election Part Two | 17 comments (17 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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Finnish Election Part Two

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