Independence Party (Finland)

Independence Party
Finnish name Itsenäisyyspuolue
Swedish name Självständighetspartiet
Abbreviation IPU
Chairman Henri Aitakari
First vice-chairman Alexander Holthoer[1]
Second vice-chairman Marjatta Herrala[1]
Third vice-chairman Martti Pohjolainen [1]
Party secretary Lena Wiksten[1]
Founded 1994 (1994)
Headquarters Helsinki
Membership (2015) 1200
Ideology Euroscepticism
Direct democracy
Economic democracy
Anti-racism[2]
International affiliation TEAM
City Council of Laitila
2 / 31
Parliament of Finland
0 / 200
Website
www.ipu.fi
Independence Party campaigning in the Finnish parliamentary election, 2015

Independence Party (Finnish: Itsenäisyyspuolue, IPU;[3] Swedish: Självständighetspartiet[4]) is a minor Eurosceptic political party in Finland.[5] It was founded in 1994 as Alliance for Free Finland. The party opposes Finland's membership in the European Union and the Eurozone.[6] Its current chairman is Henri Aitakari.

Party organization

Based in Helsinki, IPU is a registered party.[4] The party has two out of 31 city counselors in Laitila,[7] elected at the 2017 Finnish municipal elections.[8] IPU is a minor political party;[9] it has never had any MPs in the Finnish Parliament.[10] Membership in the party is around 1,200.[9] The party is a member of The European Alliance of EU-critical Movements (TEAM).[11]

History

IPU was founded in 1994 as Alliance for Free Finland (Finnish: Vapaan Suomen Liitto, VSL; Swedish: Förbundet för det Fria Finland, FFF).[3][12] Its chairman from its founding until 2004 was Ilkka Hakalehto.[13]

Antti Pesonen served as the party's chairman from 2004 until his resignation for health reasons in 2015. He was re-elected chairman 2016,[5] but resigned again in 2017 shorty before his death.[14] He had previously been a city councilor of the party in Alajärvi.[2] Henri Aitakari followed Pesonen as the chairman.[15]

IPU has been admitted into the party register four times,[10] the latest re-admission having taken place in January 2017.[14] Only Communist Workers' Party – For Peace and Socialism has dropped out and been re-admitted as many times.[10]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Yhteystiedot" (in Finnish). Independence Party. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  2. 1 2 Rautanen, Päivi (30 November 2016). "Itsenäisyyspuolueella jälleen kannattajat koossa". Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  3. 1 2 Mickelsson, Rauli (2007). Suomen puolueet: historia, muutos ja nykypäivä (in Finnish). Tampere: Vastapaino. p. 293. ISBN 978-951-768-217-6.
  4. 1 2 "Itsenäisyyspuolue r.p., Självständighetspartiet r.p." (in Finnish). Suomen Asiakastieto. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  5. 1 2 Rautanen, Päivi (15 August 2016). "Antti Pesonen johtaa jälleen Itsenäisyyspuoluetta". Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  6. ↑ Tikkala, Hannu (31 March 2017). "Analyysi: Äänestäjä, nyt sinulla on vaihtoehtoja!". Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  7. ↑ "Kaupunginvaltuusto" (in Finnish). City of Laitila. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  8. ↑ "Kuntavaalit 2017: Itsenäisyyspuolue". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  9. 1 2 Niemistö, Elina (13 April 2015). "Vaaliennakko: Pienpuolueiden ehdokkaat uskovat asiaansa". Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  10. 1 2 3 Rautanen, Päivi (30 January 2017). "Itsenäisyyspuolue pääsi jälleen puoluerekisteriin ja teki samalla ennätyksen". Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  11. ↑ "Members and observers of TEAM". TEAM. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  12. ↑ "Political parties and abbreviations used in municipal elections in 2000". Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Municipal elections [e-publication]. Helsinki: Statistics Finland. 31 May 2004 [2000]. ISSN 2323-1114. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  13. ↑ Rautanen, Päivi (31 August 2015). "Itsenäisyyspuolue etsii puheenjohtajaa". Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  14. 1 2 "Itsenäisyyspuolueen entinen puheenjohtaja Antti Pesonen on kuollut". Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). STT. 5 April 2017. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  15. ↑ "Henri Aitakarista Itsenäisyyspuolueen puheenjohtaja". Länsi-Suomi (in Finnish). 28 August 2017. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
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