Ousted SDP party leader Jutta Urpilainen said she has been walking with a lighter step on her first morning after losing the leadership vote at Friday’s Social Democratic Party conference.
Speaking alongside former union boss and new party leader Antti Rinne, Urpilainen said she was enjoying the feeling of being able to decide for herself how to use her time. “The first thing I noticed on waking up this morning was that I don’t have a minute-by-minute timetable any more,” she said.
While new party leader Rinne, who narrowly edged Urpilainen out of the top post by 257 to 243 votes, looked distinctly uncomfortable, Urpilainen spoke about her feelings on losing the party leadership which she had held for six years.
“When you enter into a race, there’s always the chance that you might not win,” Urpilainen said. “The majority of party members chose Antti Rinne,” she said. “Democracy has spoken, let’s move forward; Antti Rinne is the party leader,” she added.
Urpilainen warned that the Social Democratic Party is suffering deep wounds after the leadership battle, and said that the principal responsibility to heal the divisions now rests with Rinne. “I trust him that he’ll be able to move us forward,” she said.
Splits in the party
On the issue of how he intends to tackle the rifts within the party, Rinne told Yle that he believes talking with people will be the best remedy. He said that he intends to continue with policies already underway until the end of the election term.
Rinne refused to be drawn on whether or not he will succeed Urpilainen in the post of Finance Minister. “I have promised the party members that there will be a conversation, and I intend for that to happen,” he said.
Rinne did say, however, that the government must now focus on reducing unemployment and supporting the tens of thousands of workers who have lost jobs during the recession.
Future plans
Speaking about her future plans, Urpilainen said that she intends to focus on her work as a backbencher.
“I value the work of MPs, and that’s what I’m going to do,” she said. “I took many big decisions during my time in office, and each one was taken with the intention of furthering the interests of Finland. I have a clear conscience, and I know I did my best as party leader and Finance Minister, and that helps me to move forward,” she said.