Finland Times

 

File picture of municipality election campaigning in October 2012. Photo - Lehtikuva

Most of the country’s municipalities did not respond to a government proposal for shifting the municipality elections time to Spring.

 

The government in its financial report placed in parliament on July 4 suggested shifting the municipality elections time to spring as the early elections would help the newly elected representatives start their working session from summer.

 

Following the proposal the Finance Ministry sought opinion from the authorities of 258 municipalities, but more than 75 per cent of the municipalities expressed negative views in this regard, sources at the ministry said.

 

Sources said that 155 municipalities think that they are satisfied with the existing election timing and did not feel necessity for bringing change in the schedule while only about 40 municipalities supported the government proposal for holding parliamentary and local government polls jointly.

 

Meanwhile, the secretaries of the parliamentary parties will consider making a proposal in favour of the voting right to 16-year-old people during the upcoming Autumn session of the parliament as a part of the municipality reforms bill.

 

Photo - Lehtikuva

Earlier, on July 4 the parliament planned the reduction of voter’s age for municipality polls to 16 years, parliament sources said. Presently, citizens of 18 years and above are eligible to cast votes in municipality, national and other polls.

 

The National Coalition Party (Kokoomus), the biggest component of the six-party alliance government had raised the issue of lowering the age limit for voting in 2004.

 

The Centre Party (Keskusta) also viewed that most of the young people, particularly the college level students live in their college area or home city. If they get their right to cast votes for the first time, it will be a good democratic habit for them.