City Council of Helsinki
The City Council of Helsinki is the main decision-making organ in local politics. Like other Finnish municipalities, it deals with issues such as city planningschools, health care, and public transport.
The 85-member council is elected every fourth year by municipal elections. The seat of the Council is located in the Helsinki City Hall which is located in the Market Place at the downtown of Helsinki. Historically, the liberal conservative National Coalition Party (kokoomus) has been the largest party in Helsinki's local politics, with the Social Democrats being the second biggest.
In the 2000 election the Green League, for which Helsinki is the strongest area of support nationally, gained the position of the second most popular party.
In 2004 however, the Social Democrats regained that position. In 2008 election, the Green League again became the second biggest party, and they remained so in the 2012 election.
The Left Alliance is the fourth largest party, while the True Finns have increased their support steadily to become the fifth largest party. The Swedish People's Party's support has been steadily declining over the years, most likely because of the diminishing proportion of Swedish speakers in Helsinki. The Centre Party of Finland, despite being one of the major parties in nationwide politics, has only limited support in Helsinki like it does in most other large urban areas.
Seat distribution in the city council
1919–1936
| Elections | Seats | |||||||||||||
| SDP | RKP | NCP | NPP | SWPF SM |
Other | Total | ||||||||
| 1918 | 26 | 22 | 8 | 4 | 60 | |||||||||
| 1919 | 24 | 22 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 60 | ||||||||
| 1920 | 20 | 22 | 7 | 3 | 8 | 60 | ||||||||
| 1921 | 15 | 21 | 8 | 3 | 13 | 60 | ||||||||
| 1922 | 12 | 22 | 9 | 3 | 14 | 60 | ||||||||
| 1923 | 11 | 23 | 10 | 3 | 13 | 60 | ||||||||
| 1924 | 11 | 24 | 11 | 3 | 11 | 60 | ||||||||
| 1925 | 12 | 20 | 11 | 4 | 9 | 3 | 59 | |||||||
| 1928 | 13 | 18 | 9 | 5 | 10 | 4 | 59 | |||||||
| 1930 | 22 | 16 | 13 | 4 | 4 | 59 | ||||||||
| 1933 | 23 | 15 | 11 | 6 | 4 | 59 | ||||||||
| 1936 | 24 | 15 | 12 | 5 | 3 | 59 | ||||||||
| Sourc: Helsinki City Statistics [1] | ||||||||||||||
1945–2012
| Elections | Seat | Activity % | ||||||||||||||
| NCP | SDP | FPDL Left Alliance |
RKP | NPP | CDP KD |
Center | SMP True Finns |
CRP CPP |
Greens | H2000 | Independents | Communist | Other | Total | ||
| 1945 | 14 | 11 | 15 | 12 | 6 | 1 | 59 | |||||||||
| 1947 | 15 | 15 | 11 | 12 | 5 | 1a | 59 | |||||||||
| 1950 | 16 | 19 | 15 | 13 | 8 | 71 | ||||||||||
| 1953 | 15 | 18 | 15 | 13 | 10 | 71 | ||||||||||
| 1956 | 18 | 19 | 15 | 14 | 11 | 77 | ||||||||||
| 1960 | 21 | 16 | 15 | 13 | 9 | 3 | 77 | |||||||||
| 1964 | 21 | 21 | 14 | 11 | 7 | 3 | 77 | |||||||||
| 1968 | 21 | 21 | 11 | 10 | 8 | -- | 1 | 4 | 1b | 77 | ||||||
| 1972 | 21 | 25 | 12 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 77 | |||||||
| 1976 | 22 | 22 | 15 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 3 | -- | 4 | -- | 85 | |||||
| 1980 | 28 | 23 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1c | 85 | |||||
| 1984 | 26 | 19 | 9 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 2d | 85 | ||||
| 1988 | 27 | 21 | 7 | 8 | -- | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 4e | 85 | |||
| 1992 | 21 | 21 | 7 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -- | 1f | 15 | 4 | 2 | -- | 85 | ||
| 1996 | 24 | 21 | 6 | 8 | -- | 2 | 3 | -- | 16 | 1 | 4g | 85 | ||||
| 2000 | 25 | 18 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 21 | 1 | -- | -- | 85 | |||||
| 2004 | 25 | 21 | 8 | 6 | -- | 2 | 4 | 1 | 17 | 1 | -- | 85 | 57.1 % | |||
| 2008 | 26 | 16 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 21 | 1 | -- | 85 | 58.9 % | ||||
| 2012 | 23 | 15 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 19 | 1 | -- | 85 | 57.4 % | ||||
| a Radical People's Party b Social Democratic Union of Workers and Smallholders c Helsinki Movement (Ville Komsi)[2] d Democratic Helsinki Movement e Democratic Alternative (2 councilor's ), Citizens Movement (2 councilor's) f Constitutional Right g Young Finns[3] | ||||||||||||||||
| Sourch: Statistics Bureau of Finland,[4][5] Minister of Justice[6] & Helsingki City Statistics [1] | ||||||||||||||||
Chairmen of the City Council
- Leo Mechelin (1875–1878)
- A. W. Liljenstrand (1877)
- J. A. Estlander (1879–1880)
- Lorenz Leonard Lindelöf (1881–1882)[7]
- M. W. af Schultén (1883–1887)[8]
- J. W. Runeberg (1888–1891)
- Leo Mechelin (1892–1899) (2rd time)
- P. K. S. Antell (1900–1903)
- Alfred Norrmén (1904–1918)
- Alexander Frey (1919–1920)
- Arthur Söderholm (1922)
- Leo Ehrnrooth (1923–1925)
- Antti Tulenheimo (1926–1928)
- Ivar Lindfors (1929–1934)
- Yrjö Harvia (1934–1936)
- Eero Rydman (1937–1944)
- Eino Tulenheimo (1945–1950)
- Konsti Järnefelt (1951)
- Lauri Aho (1952–1956)
- Teuvo Aura (1957–1968)
- Jussi Saukkonen (1969–1972)
- Pentti Poukka (1973–1979)
- Gustaf Laurent (1980)
- Harri Holkeri (1981–1987)
- Kari Rahkamo (1987–1991)
- Erkki Heikkonen (1991–1992)
- Arja Alho (1993–1994)
- Suvi Rihtniemi (1995–2000)
- Pekka Sauri (2001–2003)
- Minerva Krohn (2003–2004)
- Rakel Hiltunen (2005–2008)
- Otto Lehtipuu (2009–2011)
- Minerva Krohn (2011–2012)
- Mari Puoskari (2013–) [9]
Deputy Chairman
- Väinö Tanner (1929-1930)
- Johan Helo
- Pekka Railo
- Tyyne Leivo-Larsson (1948-1956)
- B. R. Nybergh (1951-1954)
- Gunnar Modeen (1954-1964)
- Yrjö Rantala (1957-1972)
- Leo Backman (1965-1967)
- Carl-Gustaf Londen (1967-1974)
- Keijo Liinamaa (1973-1976)
- Gustaf Laurent (1974-1980)[10]
- Per-Erik Förars (1977-1979)[10]
- Arvo Salo (1979-1980)
- Grels Teir
- Jyrki Lohi (1989-1992)
- Ulla Gyllenberg (1989-1992)
- Outi Ojala (1993-1994)
- Erkki Heikkonen (1993-1995)
- Ulla Gyllenberg (1994-1998)
- Per-Erik Förars (1995-1996)
- Tuula Haatainen (1997-2000)
- Tuija Brax (1998-2000)
- Hannele Luukkainen (2000)
- Suvi Rihtniemi (2001-2004)
- Arto Bryggare (2001-2004)
- Harry Bogomoloff (2005-)
- Minerva Krohn (2005-2008)
- Rakel Hiltunen (2009–2012)
- Sara Paavolainen (2013–)
Mayor
The Mayor of Helsinki is appointed by the city council. The post is currently held by Jussi Pajunen. He was appointed for a term of 7 years, starting June 1, 2005. Pajunen was a member of the city council for 8 years, and was the chairman of the city board in 2003-2005. According to local media, the three biggest parties in the council had agreed in the wake of the October 2004 municipal election that the mayor's seat will go to the Coalition party. Current Deputy Mayors are Hannu Penttilä, Pekka Sauri, Laura Räty and Ritva Viljanen.
List
| Mayor | Term | Party |
|---|---|---|
| Arthur Castrén | 1921–1930 | Young Finnish Party |
| Antti Tulenheimo | 1931–1944 | National Coalition Party |
| Eero Rydman | 1944–1956 | National Progressive Party |
| Lauri Aho | 1956–1968 | National Coalition Party |
| Teuvo Aura | 1968–1979 | Liberal People's Party |
| Raimo Ilaskivi | 1979–1991 | National Coalition Party |
| Kari Rahkamo | 1991–1996 | National Coalition Party |
| Eva-Riitta Siitonen | 1996–2005 | National Coalition Party |
| Jussi Pajunen | 2005 present | National Coalition Party |
See also
References
- ^ a b Finnish municipal elections, Helsingissä vuonna 2008 Statistics 2008, 43 Helsinki City Statistics
- ^ http://www.helsinginvihreat.fi/historiaa Helsingin Vihreät 29 June 2007
- ^ Kunnallisvaalien vaalitulos puolueittain ja muutokset verrattuna edellisiin vaaleihin / Helsinki (Oikeusministeriö)
- ^ 29 B, 3-4 (Statistics Bureau ) (years 1968-1972); Tilastokeskuksen PX-Web-tietokannat: Finnish municipal elections, 1976-2004 (Statistics 2008) (years 1976-2004)
- ^ Finnish municipal elections, 1988 (Statistics 1989), s. 36–37, 178.
- ^ Finnish municipal elections, 1996 (Minister of Justice 1997) Finnish municipal elections, 2000 (Minister of Justice 2000); Finnish municipal elections, 2004 (Minister of Justice 2004); Finnish municipal elections, 2008 (Minister of Justice 30.10.2008; Finnish municipal elections, 2012 (Minister of Justice 1.11.2012)
- ^ Adliga ätten nr 260 LINDELÖF
- ^ Jälkeläistaulut – Schultén af, Maximus Widekind
- ^ "Mari Puoskari Helsingin valtuuston puheenjohtajaksi, Emma Kari vihreän valtuustoryhmän johtoon". Helsingin Vihreät. 3 December 2012. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
- ^ a b Kukkiva asfaltti, hiukan nostalginen albumi (2001, Pentti Poukka)
External links
- How Helsinki is governed - Presentation of the city government on the official website