Finland Times

 

Suomen ruotsalainen kansanpuolue-RKP (Swedish People's Party of Finland) Chairman Carl Haglund. File Photo – Lehtikuva.

The race for the Suomen ruotsalainen kansanpuolue-RKP (Swedish People's Party of Finland) leadership took a surprising turn on Friday when Finnish language dai-ly Helsingin Sanomat and Swedish-language daily Hufvudstadsbladet announced that the current party chair Carl Haglund would not seek re-election.

 

So far, no one has plainly declared candidacy for the party chair leadership elec-tions which will be held in June.

 

The chair of RKP parliamentary group Anna-Maja Henriksson said she had not ruled out the possibility for vying for the party's top most seat. Henriksson contested the party chief election in 2012 but lost to Haglund by 144-106 votes.

 

“I need few days to deliberate. I also need to discuss the matter with my family,” Henriksson said.

 

Mikaela Nylander, the party's parliamentary group deputy chair also said she was contemplating vying for the seat.

 

Similarly, first time KRP MP Anders Adlercreutz said he was considering contest-ing.

 

However, lawmaker Eva Biaudet said that she had not yet thought about joining the race to succeed Haglund. Biaudet hopes that the next party chief is a woman.

 

Haglund told members of the KRP parliamentary group on Thursday that he was stepping down.