kontulib
December 9th, 2002, 06:57 AM
Three large parties hold balance of power in Helsinki
National Coalition Party, Greens, and Social Democrats seek negotiated settlements
A long tradition in Helsinki's municipal administration has turned the Finnish capital into a city with a strong civil service. Politicians do wield power, but they tend to work in cooperation with the civil servants. There is a strong tradition of negotiation at work.
The Deputy Mayors - who are civil servants - have the right to make initiatives to the City Board.
Of the large parties in the City Council, only the Greens do not have representatives of their own among the Deputy Mayors.
The top civil servant is the Mayor, Eeva-Riitta Siitonen (Nat. Coalition), who is responsible for the city's finances. Helping her is her powerful adviser, the city's head of financing, Tapio Korhonen. Siitonen is a tough leader, but is quite dependent on Korhonen and his charts. Deputy Mayor Pekka Korpinen (Soc. Dem.) is an expert in urban planning.
One of the city's key politicians is Jussi Pajunen (Nat. Coalition), the head of his party's groups in the City Council and the City Board. Pajunen serves as a negotiator on both bodies. His signature is on almost everything that passes through those bodies.
Harry Bogomoloff used to be in the same role when he was the chairman of the party's City Council group. Now he serves as Chairman of the City Board, putting him in a pole position of sorts in the city. However, he has largely withdrawn from participation in negotiations; Pajunen is now the one who gives press commentary.
Bogomoloff's directness has caused him to be sidelined, and he might find it difficult to hold on to the post of City Board chairman after this year.
The Green League, the second-largest party in Helsinki, has nearly as much political power in the city's politics as the National Coalition Party, which is number one. During the two years that the present City Council has been in office, the Green group has shown itself to be quite a unified political force. This has led to an increase in respect for the Greens among other party groups.
The Green group in the Helsinki City Council is headed by Minerva Krohn, the second chair of the City Board, and the Green group on the City Board is chaired by Otto Lehtipuu.
The two form a powerful duo, and have a key role in negotiations between City Council groups.
Lehtipuu's telephone rarely gets a rest on Sunday evenings, as top figures on the City Board call to discuss issues to be decided in Monday's meeting. Lehtipuu also has the clear support of his party: he is the chairman of the Helsinki Greens.
The party's chairman, MP Osmo Soininvaara, occasionally takes issue with municipal affairs in Helsinki, but most of his time goes into national politics. The Chairman of the City Council, Pekka Sauri, has many duties dictated by protocol.
Sauri could be in a good position when moves are made to secure the Greens one of the Deputy Mayors' posts. Another alternative could be transport expert Hannele Luukkainen.
The Social Democrats lack a clear leader in Helsinki. Arto Bryggare is the chairman of the SDP City Council group, and is the party's representative in discussions with other groups. However, he is not on the City Board.
The Social Democratic group on the City Board is headed by Sirkka-Liisa Vehviläinen, who has considerable political expertise, and is the vice chairwoman of her local SDP organisation.
Social Democratic MP Rakel Hiltunen also has influence on city politics. She is the vice chairwoman of the City Board, and takes part in negotiations between City Council party groups when important issues are afoot.
The three large parties in the Helsinki City Council maintain something of a balance of terror, in which none can afford to be too assertive, lest they get sidelined from all decision-making. In the city's budget talks the National Coalition Party hanged itself on its own taxation policies. The Greens and the Social Democrats understood the necessity of tax hikes and the National Coalition Party was left alone.
The Social Democrats led the process leading to an increase in spending on health care.
In major decisions on the use of city land the Greens have been left in the minority, as the National Coalition Party and the Social Democrats have made common cause with civil servants. However, in housing policy, the Social Democrats and the National Coalition Party are on opposite sides, allowing the Greens to dictate policy.
National Coalition Party, Greens, and Social Democrats seek negotiated settlements
A long tradition in Helsinki's municipal administration has turned the Finnish capital into a city with a strong civil service. Politicians do wield power, but they tend to work in cooperation with the civil servants. There is a strong tradition of negotiation at work.
The Deputy Mayors - who are civil servants - have the right to make initiatives to the City Board.
Of the large parties in the City Council, only the Greens do not have representatives of their own among the Deputy Mayors.
The top civil servant is the Mayor, Eeva-Riitta Siitonen (Nat. Coalition), who is responsible for the city's finances. Helping her is her powerful adviser, the city's head of financing, Tapio Korhonen. Siitonen is a tough leader, but is quite dependent on Korhonen and his charts. Deputy Mayor Pekka Korpinen (Soc. Dem.) is an expert in urban planning.
One of the city's key politicians is Jussi Pajunen (Nat. Coalition), the head of his party's groups in the City Council and the City Board. Pajunen serves as a negotiator on both bodies. His signature is on almost everything that passes through those bodies.
Harry Bogomoloff used to be in the same role when he was the chairman of the party's City Council group. Now he serves as Chairman of the City Board, putting him in a pole position of sorts in the city. However, he has largely withdrawn from participation in negotiations; Pajunen is now the one who gives press commentary.
Bogomoloff's directness has caused him to be sidelined, and he might find it difficult to hold on to the post of City Board chairman after this year.
The Green League, the second-largest party in Helsinki, has nearly as much political power in the city's politics as the National Coalition Party, which is number one. During the two years that the present City Council has been in office, the Green group has shown itself to be quite a unified political force. This has led to an increase in respect for the Greens among other party groups.
The Green group in the Helsinki City Council is headed by Minerva Krohn, the second chair of the City Board, and the Green group on the City Board is chaired by Otto Lehtipuu.
The two form a powerful duo, and have a key role in negotiations between City Council groups.
Lehtipuu's telephone rarely gets a rest on Sunday evenings, as top figures on the City Board call to discuss issues to be decided in Monday's meeting. Lehtipuu also has the clear support of his party: he is the chairman of the Helsinki Greens.
The party's chairman, MP Osmo Soininvaara, occasionally takes issue with municipal affairs in Helsinki, but most of his time goes into national politics. The Chairman of the City Council, Pekka Sauri, has many duties dictated by protocol.
Sauri could be in a good position when moves are made to secure the Greens one of the Deputy Mayors' posts. Another alternative could be transport expert Hannele Luukkainen.
The Social Democrats lack a clear leader in Helsinki. Arto Bryggare is the chairman of the SDP City Council group, and is the party's representative in discussions with other groups. However, he is not on the City Board.
The Social Democratic group on the City Board is headed by Sirkka-Liisa Vehviläinen, who has considerable political expertise, and is the vice chairwoman of her local SDP organisation.
Social Democratic MP Rakel Hiltunen also has influence on city politics. She is the vice chairwoman of the City Board, and takes part in negotiations between City Council party groups when important issues are afoot.
The three large parties in the Helsinki City Council maintain something of a balance of terror, in which none can afford to be too assertive, lest they get sidelined from all decision-making. In the city's budget talks the National Coalition Party hanged itself on its own taxation policies. The Greens and the Social Democrats understood the necessity of tax hikes and the National Coalition Party was left alone.
The Social Democrats led the process leading to an increase in spending on health care.
In major decisions on the use of city land the Greens have been left in the minority, as the National Coalition Party and the Social Democrats have made common cause with civil servants. However, in housing policy, the Social Democrats and the National Coalition Party are on opposite sides, allowing the Greens to dictate policy.