Väyrynen’s expulsion from party ruled illegal

The Helsinki District Court on Monday ruled that the Kansalaispuolue (Citizens’ Party) unlawfully expelled its founding President Paavo Väyrynen.

The court also cancelled the election of the party’s new leader, reported the national broadcaster Yle.

According to the court’s ruling, the party board had no authority to dismiss Väyrynen and the expulsion was a violation of association regulatory laws.

The Kansalaispuolue in early March expelled Värynen, a member of the European Parliament, on the charges of misuse of party funds and misappropriation of election funds.

A 70-year-old Eurosceptic politician, Värynen also allegedly misused his position as a party trustee by pursuing a competition for the chair of the ruling Suomen Keskusta (Centre Party).

The founder of Kansalaispuolue contested in the last presidential election as an independent candidate.

Earlier, he resigned from the post of the Kansalaispuolue chairman for contesting in the 2018 presidential election, with party leader Sami Kilpeläinen replacing him.

In February 2016, when he was serving as a Keskusta member of the European Parliament, Väyrynen announced to form a political party which he later formed under the name of Kansalaispuolue.

In April 2016, he also made public the party emblem designed with a leaping Salmon in a blue-green logo.

Väyrynen served as a lawmaker from 1970 to 1995 and again from 2007 to 2011. He has also held many ministerial portfolios, including that of the foreign minister.

Earlier, Väyrynen contested in presidential elections as the candidate of Keskusta three times and secured the second position in 1988 and the third in 1994 and in 2012.

The veteran politician’s future plans are on hold due to his wife’s cancer diagnosis.