The upcoming European Parliament elections in Finland are set to take place on Sunday, June 9th. With an increased number of MEPs from 705 to 720, the race is fierce among the political parties and smaller groups vying for representation in this election cycle.
In Finland, the European Parliament functions as a single electoral district, with candidates needing approximately 100,000 votes to secure a seat. This year’s election has seen familiar politicians nominated by the major parties, but there are notable absences among celebrity candidates.
The Coalition party has set its sights on winning a fourth seat in the upcoming election. Popular politicians like Sirpa Pietikäinen and Henna Virkkunen are running for reelection. There is speculation that Henna Virkkunen may become Finland’s next EU commissioner if they win a seat.
The Greens have faced challenges in this election, particularly regarding European security issues. Despite this hurdle, they still have a strong list of candidates and can effectively mobilize their voter base to maintain their current representation in the European Parliament.
The Social Democrats have recently experienced a surge in popularity but historically struggle to translate that support into votes in European elections. Eero Heinäluoma is seeking reelection as a key figure of the party despite Sanna Marin and Jutta Urpilainen not running for reelection this time around.
Other small parties such as Finns Party, Center Party, Left Alliance, RKP, Christian Democrats, and Liike nyti are also vying for seats in this year’s election.
Each of these parties has nominated candidates to compete for the fifteen available seats in Finland’s European Parliament elections on June 9th.
As we approach election day, it remains to be seen which political parties will emerge victorious and maintain their presence in the European Parliament.
