Henriksson re-elected RKP Chairperson

Anna-Maja Henriksson on Sunday was re-elected as chairperson of the Suomenruotsalainenkansanpuolue (Swedish People’s Party of Finland-RKP) at a party convention in Oulu.

The RKP has profiled itself as a national liberal alternative, instead of promoting only the interests of the Swedish speaking minority in Finland.

At the convention, Heriksson emphasized low income taxation. She said Finland should become "the most child friendly country" in the world.

Henriksson said the party backs the idea of offering privately produced medical services in tax funded health care system, but opposes the envisaged reform package. She said the party will vote against the government health and provincial autonomy bills.

Henriksson denied rumors that the party had made a deal with Prime Minister Juha Sipilä about the support for the government in return for better services in Swedish speaking areas.

After decades of almost automatic participation in Finnish coalition governments, RKP ended up in opposition in 2015, when the current coalition under the centrist prime minister Sipilä was formed.

Political observers noted that a continued term in opposition would be a horror scenario for the party. It has nine seats in parliament currently.

Henriksson has been in the parliament since 2007. She is a lawyer by profession.