The resignation of former prime minister Sanna Marin from her parliamentary seat for the Social Democrats was officially ratified during Tuesday’s plenary session of the Finnish parliament, with her withdrawal taking effect on Wednesday.
This decision follows the approval of the proposal by the Council of Speakers of the Finnish parliament the previous week, with no opposing counter-proposals voiced within the chamber.
During the deliberations, Juha Mäenpää of the radical right-wing Finns Party was the only MP to deliver a critical speech, but in the end, he supported the Speaker’s decision.
“Voters should be able to rely on a Member of Parliament to fulfil their duties,” Mäenpää said, emphasising the importance of trust in the parliamentary system.
He also pointed out that voters in Marin’s constituency might have voted differently had they known of her plans.
Last week, Marin announced that she would be working as a strategic adviser for the Tony Blair Institute.
While the non-profit organisation, founded by the former British prime minister, advises governments and political leaders, the specifics of Marin’s role and her future clients remain undisclosed. The institute has been criticised for its work with Saudi Arabia, a country with a famously poor human rights record.
(Charles Szumski | Euractiv.com)
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