Presidential Elections 2024

**Mikachu Yukitatsu** · 23rd December 2023, 11:39 AM

Who's looking forward to presidential elections this year? The president of Finland might not be as important a guy as the president of the USA but I'll start off with our presidential election, as round one is already starting in January.

Paavo Väyrynen didn't make it so I'll have to go for the Goddess of Finnish Politics. A rumor has it that Jutta Urpilainen was responsible for closing the local mental hospital, so what! It's my vote. The current right-wing government is crazy about saving money anyway.

I'll tell you more later, if you're interested, or even if you're not interested.

**Drago** · 29th December 2023, 05:22 AM

I just remembered how awful these threads were back when we had more users. This is one of the few times I'm happy TPM is dead now.

**Heald** · 29th December 2023, 08:22 AM

Originally Posted by Drago

I just remembered how awful these threads were back when we had more users.

Actually they were great.

This is one of the few times I'm happy TPM is dead now

Crap opinion.

**Mikachu Yukitatsu** · 29th December 2023, 11:41 AM

Isn't Donald Trump back on Twitter? He was like a certain Finnish mental health trainee whose Internet usage was limited?

Back to my country. According to my understanding of politics, there are two ways to run for the presidency here. You have to win a political party behind you or you can try and collect 20,000 ~~Pokemon cards~~ endorsement cards. I'll try to give you a representation of our candidates along with their backgrounds.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_F...ntial_election

Mika Aaltola, independent
This Russia expert rose quite quickly to publicity after our eastern neighbour began the 'military operation' in Ukraine last year. He didn't really believe he could become elected at first, but he was speculated a candidate of the National Coalition Party. Eventually, he collected 25,000!!!!!!! Endorsement cards! and became an independent candidate.

Li Andersson, Vasemmistoliitto (Left Alliance)
After SKDL (Finnish People's Democratic League) died along with the Soviet Union, its softer and moderate legacy still holds a position in our parliament and political life. Some Russophobic old folks still confuse them with SKP (Communist Party of Finland). To be exact, Communist Party of Finland is a very small party that, according to my knowledge, hasn't been to the parliament. On the countrary, Left Alliance even makes it to the government cabinet occasionally. That means they get minister seats. Born in 1987, Li is younger than me!

Sari Essayah, Kristillisdemokraatit (Christian Democrats)
KD, Christian Democrats, is orientated towards socially conservative policies. This racewalker is running for president again. As far as the traditional Finnish parties are concerned, KD's support is relatively low these days.

What surprises, or doesn't surprise me, the other traditional smaller party RKP (Swedish People's Party) doesn't have a candidate at all! Last time the candidate of RKP was the father of Linus Torvalds, BTW.

Pekka Haavisto, independent
Openly imposed his homosexuality being the DOMESTIC PARTNER of Nexar Antonio Flores, Pekka is popular among the ladies. He has been the presidential candidate of the Green Party twice, but as the support of his party is now very low, he chose to run for president by collecting the firepokemon

cards. For your information, even I voted for him in 2012 because I didn't want Sauli Niinistö to become a president!

Jussi Halla-Aho, Perussuomalaiset (The Finns)
This is the guy who gave a speech to the parliament of Ukraine in Ukrainian. He has been a guitarist in a Trash Metal band called Blashemia in the 1990s. He says he's not credulous, or is the Finnish term 'blue-eyed' the right expression? His party is labelled populist and is the other party in Petteri-Orpo's cabinet now in power here.

I'm bringing more candidates on in my next exciting post ITT.

**Mikachu Yukitatsu** · 31st December 2023, 09:36 AM

Originally Posted by Mikachu Yukitatsu

For your information, even I voted for him in 2012 because I didn't want Sauli Niinistö to become a president!

My memory is hazy. To be exact, I originally preferred Väyrynen to Niinistö, but the Finnish election system allows two rounds if none of the candidates gets over 50% of the votes. The second round is between the two candidates with the most votes. Sauli Niinistö was leading the polls clearly, so I went for Haavisto just to tell people there is another option.

Back to the candidates of the 2024 election.

Hjallis Harkimo, Liike Nyt (Movement Now)
Liike Nyt is the newest party mentioned here. Hjallis Harkimo is known for being the former chairman of the board of a Helsinki-based ice hockey team called Jokerit. He also built his own ice hockey rink and has hosted several television shows, including the Finnish version of The Apprentice.

Olli Rehn, Keskusta (Centre)
This candidate has a wide long-term experience but he sadly doesn't stand out too much. The Centre Party's support has declined awfully from its glory days and that's why, if I have understood correctly, they couldn't elect a candidate with a strong association to todays' Finnish politics.

Alexander Stubb, Kokoomus (National Coalition)
Was the Prime Minister of Finland briefly from 2014 to 2015. Although the party whose candidate he is is responsible for the infamous 'sparing money politics' I mentioned earlier ITT he isn't a minister in the current Petteri Orpo's cabinet. I think that might partly explain his high probability to become the next president of Finland.

Jutta Urpilainen, Sosiaalidemokraatit (SDP)
So this is my candidate. She was the minister of Financial Affairs in Jyrki Katainen's government and divided opinions because that's when The EuroCrisis took place. She was criticized for being even too diligent when it came to Greek stimilus packages. I like her because of her mesmerizing personality and, I admit, good looks.

Paavo Väyrynen failed to get enough Pokemon Cards for Christmas but his constituency suspects an attack on the database of our postal service and has requested for investigation.

**Mikachu Yukitatsu** · 16th January 2024, 02:19 PM

In a recent presidential debate, Mika Aaltola was asked which Pokemon he would be! He said he hadn't played Pokemon so much, and asked the other candidates. Someone said Pikachu while someone talked about a ninja. Having heard this, Mika decided to go with Pikachu because 'Ninja isn't a Pokemon.'.