Finland – Constitutional Committee report delayed

In a previous post by David Arter there was a report on the spat between the president and the prime minister in Finland over the constitutionality of the president’s involvement in foreign affairs, specifically European affairs. Anyway, the issue is ongoing.

A committee to make recommendations on the issue was set up. Helsinki Times reports that it is chaired by Christoffer Taxell, a former minister. There are 11 people on the committee, two from each of the three largest parties (social democrats, the conservatives and the centrists) and one each from five smaller parties.

The committee was due to report by Christmas, but the deadline has now been extended to the end of January.

The issue is the so-called ‘two-plates’ problem, i.e. the notion that Finland has two plates at European Council dinners – one for the president and one for the prime minister. At the most recent European Council meeting last week President Halonen did not attend. Apparently, Herman Van Rompuy, the new President of the European Council, wants only one representative per country from now on.

There is the distinct possibility that the committee will recommend that the president’s powers should be further reduced, not merely with regard to foreign affairs but generally.

Whether or not it is significant I am not sure, but Christoffer Taxell’s name has been bandied around as a possible presidential candidate in 2012. That said, Sauli Niinistö of KOK (National Coalition Party), who is currently the Speaker of the Eduskunta (parliament), seems to be the favourite candidate at the moment. In 2006 he was narrowly defeated at the second ballot by President Halonen. He does not favour a weaker presidency.

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