President Halonen at the opening of the 2007 session of Parliament: Low young-voter turnout a cause for concern

President of the Republic of Finland Tarja Halonen is concerned about the low voter turnout, which has been declining in general elections steadily for the past two decades. “In this year’s parliamentary election, just under 68 per cent of the electorate went to the polls, the lowest figure since the 1945 election. In this, we are different from the other Nordic countries, where voter turnout is substantially higher.” President Halonen opened the 2007 session of the Parliament on Wednesday, 28 March. In her speech, president Halonen said that the newly elected Parliament has the largest number of women members in the history of Parliament to date. “I shall follow with interest how this influences debate and decision-making in Parliament.”

President of the Republic Tarja Halonen, Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (L) and Speaker of the Parliament Timo Kalli (R) at the opening of the new Parliament. Photo: Lehtikuva

President Halonen is particularly alarmed by the low voter turnout among young people. According to her, the Nordic welfare society rests on informed public opinion, which takes the needs of different population groups and generations into account. “This is highly important in creating social justice spanning the generations and in developing the information society.”

Electoral system worth considering again

President Halonen considers that present-day electoral system may lead to inequality between different parts of the country. “Accordingly, working groups have submitted proposals on how to reform the electoral system. However, so far the political parties have not reached a consensus; yet a reform may be worth considering once again.”

During this electoral period, the size of the working-age population will begin to decline for the first time in the history of Finland. President Halonen noted that it is important to ensure that everyone has access to the services and the care they need throughout their lives. “These issues were much discussed in election debates, and I dare to hope, Members of Parliament, that improvements will be achieved.”

According to President Halonen, the European Union needs a new founding treaty. “Membership of the European Union has had a substantial impact on Finland’s foreign and security policy status. The EU is of fundamental importance to the development of our continent.”

Full text of the speech

Official opening speech of Speaker of the Parliament of Finland Timo Kalli (PDF)