The Finns Party’s youth wing has re-elected its rebellious chair, Sebastian Tynkkynen, even though the full party expelled him last week. As the youth wing’s rules do not preclude a non-member from being elected as chair, Tynkkynen was free to stand and win election to the post.
Tynkkynen was expelled after launching a campaign against the party leadership. He had demanded a special congress to vote on the party’s continued presence in government, collecting a list of party members who support his demands.
His opponent in the youth wing’s election, Samuli Voutila, had said he was standing in the election to try and save the youth wing from a showdown with the party leadership. Voutila said that government participation is for the leadership to decide, whereas Tynkkynen says he believes the party grassroots should have more input.
Tynkkynen’s election adds to leader Timo Soini’s headaches, as the holder of the post has an official status within the party. For example, the youth wing’s chair is able to attend meetings of the parliamentary party.
Tynkkynen remains a member of the party board and the party’s third vice-chair, as the party could not legally remove him from those posts without calling a special party congress—the very move the rebel had demanded in the first place.
