Vihreät Chairman steps down, refers to mental depression

Touko Aalto, the chairman of the Vihreä liitö (Green League), announced on Wednesday he will step down.

Aalto has been on sick leave since mid-September. He was not present at the press conference of the party, but explained in social media he was suffering from depression.

The party council will elect an interim chairman on Nov. 2. He or she will lead the party until the scheduled party convention in June 2019.

Aalto was elected chairman in June 2017. The support of the Greens, currently in opposition, reached 17.6 percent in September 2017, but declined in a year to 11.6 percent.

Touko Aalto had public image problems related to his private life.

The Greens were rated as the party with the best image in a Kantar TNS survey in Finland for two years until spring 2018, but have since fallen to the fourth position among the six parties surveyed.

Aalto is also a Member of Parliament. His parliamentary sick leave continues until the end of the year, Aalto said in social media.