Terho eyes Sininen tulevaisuus Chair

Minister for European Affairs, Sports and Culture Sampo Terho is interested to become the chairman of the Sininen tulevaisuus (Blue Reform), a newly formed political party created by the dissident faction of the Perussuomalaiset (Finns Party).

Terho, former chair of the then Perussuomalaiset parliamentary group, said he will contest for the chairmanship of the party during the autumn, reported the national broadcaster Yle.

So far no other party member expressed the intention to be its leader.

Terho expressed his desire in a discussion on Yle’s A-Studio discussion programme on Monday evening.

The Perussuomalaiset, one of the components of the then three-party alliance government, split and the new party was formed following a crisis in the government in June.

The crisis began on June 12. Prime Minister Juha Sipilä that day decided to form a new government after the allies of the government failed to find a common ground with Jussi Halla-aho, the newly elected hardliner leader of the Perussuomalaiset.

On June 13, Sipilä was on his way to submit a formal resignation to President Sauli Niinistö when he heard of the secession and dropped the decision to dissolve the cabinet.

Sipilä told the media near the Presidential Summer Palace in southwestern Finland that he had consulted legal authorities who said it was not necessary to dissolve the government and reappoint the ministers.

By the night of June 13, a total of 22 members of the originally 37-member Perussuomalaiset parliamentary caucus were reported to leave the party and join the government.

With the support from the defected group, the cabinet got the backing of 106 MPs out of the 200-member parliament.

The dissident faction later announced the name of their new party as Sininen tulevaisuus.