Women want change. That’s one of the messages from Yle’s latest monthly poll, which showed that the Social Democrats are the most popular party among those polled.
The SDP stole that support from the Finns Party, the Greens and the Left Alliance. Only the National Coalition retained their level of support as well as the Social democrats, with every other party losing favour among women.
The SDP gained 5.3 percentage points in support from women, while the NCP gained 2.3 percentage points.
"After the last elections the Finns Party had a lot more women supporters than it does now," said Jari Pajunen of Taloustutkimus, which conducted the research. "The party has gradually lost support since then, and now it’s suffered another drop."
Parliament could look different if only women voted. The top three parties would be the SDP, the Centre Party and the National Coalition, but the Finns Party’s support would, if the poll’s forecast carried through, be only slightly larger than the Swedish People’s Party.
The Finns Party have promoted women to high-profile jobs, but that hasn’t helped their support among women. Maria Lohela is now Speaker of parliament and Hanna Mäntylä is Health Minister, but even so, the party’s support appears to be declining.
Finns Party MP: "Not all women dare to join us"
Finns Party MP Arja Juvonen says she hopes that views can be changed quickly.
"It demands courage," said Juvonen. "Not every woman dares to join us. Many believe they won’t have their voice heard within the party, and we’re constantly working at grassroots level to change that impression."
The poll was happier reading for the SDP.
"People want an alternative and now they are seeking a change to the policies pursued by the government," said SDP vice-chair Sanna Marin.
The Greens and the Left Alliance have lost support to the SDP. The chair of the party’s parliamentary group Outi Alanko-Kahiluoto agrees that women are reacting to the government’s policies.
"Women are reacting because the government is particularly attacking low-paid, female-dominated occupations," said Alanko-Kahiluoto. "Spending cuts pursued by the government are directed especially at public sector jobs."