Harry Harkimo, a first-term Member of Parliament from Uusimaa, was tight-lipped about his future plans in a press conference held at the Finnish Parliament on Thursday, 19 April.
Harry Harkimo, a first-term Member of Parliament from Helsinki, declined yesterday to shed any light on his future plans in a press conference where he announced he has relinquished his membership in the National Coalition Party.
Ilta-Sanomat, however, revealed that the businessman-turned-politician is intent on establishing a political association called Liike Nyt (Eng. Movement Now).
Harkimo found himself in the eye of a media storm after he commented briefly on his future plans in an interview with the tabloid daily on Wednesday. Helsingin Sanomat reported later that day that he is planning on founding a new, market-liberal political party with Mikael Jungner, a former party secretary at the Social Democratic Party.
The newspaper wrote, citing its sources, that the new party is considering nominating candidates for the parliamentary elections held next spring.
Ilta-Sanomat on Thursday revealed it has obtained documents from the Finnish Patent and Registration Office (PRH) indicating that the objective of the association is not only to overhaul political ways of working and decision making processes, but also to serve as a low-threshold platform for social debate and offer everyone an opportunity to have an impact.
The announcement was met with some surprise within the National Coalition.
“It was indeed a surprise after our conversation last night,” stated Kalle Jokinen, the chairperson of the National Coalition Parliamentary Group. “Of course the group is disappointed that this was the conclusion drawn by Harkimo.”
Aleksi Teivainen – HT Photo: Antti Aimo-Koivisto – Lehtikuva Source: Uusi Suomi
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