Speaking on Saturday, the last day of his party’s conference in Seinäjoki, the newly-elected SDP Chair Rinne assured his party’s delegates that people were at the heart of the party platform. He stressed that fiscal changes to the country’s economic policy and public sector were simply means to an end, and not values in and of themselves.
“The only self-evident aspect of our economic policy is the improvement of human well-being,” he said.
Rinne says that under his new leadership, SDP will take part in the upcoming mini-government negotiations with employment goals first on the agenda. He says improving the status of families will also be high on the list.
“SDP will participate in government cooperation under clear objectives, but with a willingness to seek solutions via negotiations and mutual agreement.”
“The right has brought misery to Europe"
Rinne emphasized the international spirit and openness of the SDP party in his speech. He said that Finland is part of the EU in order to have a larger status and influence in the world.
The new SDP chair also blamed the recent economic decay in the EU on both the right-leaning groups that have held the majority in the European Parliament for the last 15 years and several of the member states.
“We have lived through a time of misery politics, when people – young unemployed Greeks, German wage earners, you and I – have been left to pay the price of the crisis and suffer the results,” he said.
Rinne began his first ever speech as party chair 15 minutes late. He joked that he was delayed because he was running away from a bear that was loose in the city.