Poll set-back fails to divert EMU policy

Date: 24/10/1996

By Emily von Sydow

FINLAND'S Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen will keep his country on a clear course towards a single currency despite the widespread support for outspoken critics of the Union in last weekend's European parliamentary elections.

In the nationwide poll held just a week after the Finnish markka entered the Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM), the electorate gave its strongest support to two of the most vocal opponents of monetary union.

Former Foreign Minister Paavo Väyrynen and Esko Seppänen, a member of the governing coalition's leftist alliance, topped the list of 16 elected members who will replace their nominated predecessors in the Parliament.

Lipponen conceded that the results demonstrated a certain amount of Euroscepticism in a country which has generally shown more enthusiasm for the Union than the two other recent arrivals, Sweden and Austria.

But he added: “The EMU train has left and the only alternative for the government is to act as if EMU will take off in 1999.”

The 59&percent; turnout was lower than had been expected, and the country's first Euro-elections confirmed the change in mood among voters since EU membership won 57&percent; support in a referendum just 22 months ago.

Although voters elected five prominent Eurosceptics to the Parliament, the final make-up of the new parliamentary delegations shows very little change from their predecessors. The liberals, with five seats, lost one member, while the European United Left gained one to win two seats. The other parties are unchanged, with the socialists and christian democrats securing four seats each, and the Greens one.

The poll showed a clear swing towards former Prime Minister Esko Aho's centre party. Support climbed to over 25&percent; from 20&percent; at the last general election.