However, the comparison with previous elections is challenging due to the unprecedented nature of the provincial elections, which select delegates to the provinces who will take responsibility for organizing social, health and rescue services in their territory in January 2023.
“It’s dark for democracy that most people chose not to vote.” Sami BorgElection researcher at the University of Tampere, commented to YLE on Sunday.
“This was hardly a surprise,” he added. – The most popular guess before the election was that the turnout would fall somewhere between the euro and municipal elections. Here, the turnout in the European elections has been 40-42%.
He also drew attention to the fact that turnout exceeded 50 percent in only three of the 21 provinces. The turnout rose the most, to 53.8 per cent, in Ostrobothnia, but fell short of 40 per cent (39.2%) in Vantaa and Kerava welfare services.
Legislators, especially those representing opposition parties, have also expressed concern about turnout. Riikka PurraThe chairman of Basic Finns described the turnout as “terribly low”.
“Most people saw no reason to vote. I would be very worried about this, “he said.
Basic Finns received 11.1 per cent of the vote, opposing both social and health reform and the provincial elections.
Petteri OrpoThe chairman of the assembly (21.6%) was also concerned about the low turnout, as it considered that it provided a poor democratic basis for the work of the welfare municipalities.
“People don’t trust the system,” he analyzes.
Disappointment was shared, though not to the same extent Sanna MarinChairman of the Social Democrats (19.3%).
– The elections are over, democracy has spoken and the delegates now have the support they have received, he comments to the Finnish Broadcasting Corporation.
Markku JokisipiläThe director of the Center for Parliamentary Research at the University of Turku stated before the election that the 50 percent point is a “critical threshold” for the realization of democracy. “When there are more non-voters than voters, it raises questions about the national legitimacy of the elected institution,” he commented to YLE on Saturday.
Aleksi Teivainen – HT
Source: The Nordic Page