Prime Minister-elect Juha Sipilä (Centre) did not summon the Christian Democrats for the ongoing coalition negotiations despite the fact that the party was, according to its chairperson Päivi Räsänen, a viable coalition partner in terms of its political objectives.
The election loss and minuscule stature of the Christian Democrats, she believes, had an effect on the decision of Sipilä.
The Christian Democratic Party is the smallest party in the Parliament, having only won five seats in April's parliamentary elections.
A three-party coalition formed by the Centre Party, the Finns Party and the National Coalition Party has been billed to represent the traditional values of home, religion and fatherland. “We fully support those [values],” Räsänen declared while addressing the party council of the Christian Democrats in Helsinki on Saturday.
She also expressed her hopes that the decision to revise the Marriage Act on grounds of a citizens' initiative will be re-evaluated in the next Parliament – namely, that the decision to grant marriage rights to same-sex couples will be overturned.
Räsänen on Saturday argued that children's right to a mother and father should not be ignored, nor the status of marriage belittled.
Sipilä has stated earlier that the decision to extend marriage rights to same-sex couples also warrants the respect of newly-elected decision-makers.
Martta Nieminen – HS
Aleksi Teivainen – HT
© HELSINGIN SANOMAT
Photo: Rio Gandara / HS
