No vote, no moan!

If it was up to the Finnish youth, Center Party would carry on leading the country. Secondary, sixth form and vocational school students voted in the nationwide 'shadow' general elections (Fi) during last week and the results were published today. The Social Democratic Party came second best in the 'shadow' elections and the Left Wing Alliance third.

The purpose of the 'shadow' elections and dicussion panels is to encourage young people's activity and interest in politics, and to ensure that the future voters will actually use their right to vote. In my view, the 'shadow' elections are a good way of making teenagers more familiar to the whole polling process. It is the kind of 'political education' that is needed to make teenagers see that their vote counts. And isn't it true that if you don't vote you kind of lose your right to moan about the way the country is run?

According to YLE's (the Finnish national broadcasting company) website, Henri Vahakainu aka. Pikku G (Little G) came second in getting the most votes in the 'shadow' elections. Pikku G, who was born in 1987, is one of the youngest candidates standing for a place in the Parliament. Pikku G became known at 15 when he won a music competition and released a hip-hop album.

Pikku G is yet another example of a phenomenon very common in Finland: Celebrities pursuing a political career. It is a bit like models wanting to become actors or singers, or singers turning to acting (Not that I want to insult anyone, I'm just making a comparison to another commonly occuring trend). The current Culture Secretary Tanja Saarela is former Miss Finland. She was first elected to the Parliament in 1999.

Tony Halme of the True Finns is an extreme example of 'celebrities' who have been elected in general elections. The former boxer and World Wrestling Etertainment wrestler has a reputation of violent and drunken behaviour as well as controversial opinions. He has been on 'sick leave' from the Parliament for several occasions for reasons also controversial.

It always seems to anger many people when someone like Saarela or Halme starts an election campaign, let alone their raection if they actually get elected. While many witnessed Halme's success in the general elections of 2003 with some degree of horror, I think that some kind of truth can be found in that very politically uncorrect comment that Halme made right after the elections: he stated that if a lesbian [Tarja Halonen] can be president and he [Halme] can get in the Parliament, anything is possible (Halme later apologised publicly to President Halonen claiming he was under the impression that she is a lesbian). While Halme's comment wasn't acceptable, I think it- in a rather ironic way- underlines that in democracy anyone can stand as a candidate and get elected. Obviously Halme's supporters see him as the person who can best represent them in the Parliament.