In an interview with YLE Radio 1, Väyrynen said that a number of Social Democrats back him, because the SDP itself lacks a suitable presidential candidate.
SDP party secretary Mikael Jungner said that he has not observed such a phenomenon.
“Before every election, Paavo Väyrynen always tends to have great numbers of imaginary supporters who never make it to the voting booth,” Jungner commented.
He also said that the Social Democrats have so many excellent presidential candidates that there is no need to support Väyrynen. SDP will name its candidates in the autumn.
Criticism to Centre Party
The Centre Party has yet to announce its presidential candidate.
Väyrynen complained that the current Centre Party leadership and its nearest supporters are trying to block his candidacy.
Väyrynen compared himself to the National Coalition’s charismatic candidate Sauli Niinistö, saying that Niinistö enjoys everyone’s backing even though not everyone likes him.
Väyrynen, who has held various ministerial posts and served as Centre Party chair during his long political career, criticises the Centre’s current leadership and policies. He believes that the party cannot go into presidential elections with the same policies that lost it so much support in the parliamentary elections.
The Centre Party lost the most seats in parliament in the April election. Väyrynen himself was one of the Centre MPs who failed to get re-elected.
Advice to Soini
According to Väyrynen, True Finns chair Timo Soini, whose party emerged as the biggest winner in the parliamentary election, will only be playing into the National Coalition’s hands if he runs for president.
Väyrynen said that, by putting himself up as a contestant, Soini will create more supporters for Niinistö.
Väyrynen says that Soini should think on whether he wants to contribute to Niinistö’s success.
