Minister Urpilainen, who is also the Chair of the Social Democratic Party, says she has observed the discussion arising from Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen’s departure announcement without alarm. She remarks that government policy is centred on issues, and not people.
“When you talk about the functional ability of the government, it is essential to remember that an adherence to the government agenda serves as the root of all of our collaborative work. The political parties decide on the agenda content, not the party chairs. I am confident that our current plan will survive any personnel changes. Individual replacements will not change the common line to which the government has jointly committed,” she says.
Urpilainen points out that the situation is hardly a new one, as Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen also resigned in the middle of his term in July 2011, to be replaced by Mari Kiviniemi. She also notes that most of the most pressing and difficult decisions have already been made. No more saving measures are scheduled for the rest of this government’s term, for example.
“Finland is a very politically stable at the moment and it is important that we do all we can to preserve this in the future,” says the minister.