Ex-PM Matti Vanhanen (Cen) has been elected Speaker of Parliament when the MPs return to the spring session of the Finnish Parliament on their Christmas holidays.
The former leader of the Center received 157 votes in the election. Movement Now’s only Member of Parliament Harri Harkimo received one vote, as did the NCP MP Ilkka Kanerva and the Center Party Anu Vehviläinen.
One ballot was returned blank.
The old man is returning to the role he held after the 2019 election before he resigned as finance minister. Last May, the director of the center Annika Saarikko took over the task, at which point Vanhanen released him to return. The Nurmijärvi Member of Parliament served as Prime Minister from 2003 to 2010.
Last week, the current speaker, Anu Vehviläinen, announced that she was leaving the post and hoped that Vanhanen could take up the post.
Antti Rinne (SDP) and Juho Eerola (Finns) will continue as vice-presidents with 140 and 141 votes.
The official, ceremonial opening of Parliament is scheduled for Wednesday.
Source: The Nordic Page