PM for holding municipal polls in time
Published : 13 Feb 2021, 23:11
Updated : 15 Feb 2021, 09:37
Prime Minister Sanna Marin on Saturday said holding of municipality polls as per the schedule is important and the pandemic could not be a good reason to postpone the elections scheduled for 18 April.
The prime minister made the remarks while addressing a function in Turku, said the national broadcaster Yle.
Earlier, different groups, including the officials of the Ministry of Justice, called for postponing the municipal elections slated for 18 April considering the coronavirus situation of the country.
“I believe it’s very important that the elections are held on time. We have to hold on to the fact that democracy can continue to function in Finland--even in exceptional circumstances,” the Yle quoted the prime minister as saying.
Responding to the concerns by researchers that people who are under quarantine would not be able to rush to polling centres for casting votes, Marin said local governments have the responsibility in this regard.
“It’s up to municipalities to make sure that people can exercise their right to vote. All means available to make voting possible must be investigated,” the Yle report quoted Marin as saying.
Earlier in this month, the Ministry of Justice said that the authorities will send instructions on safe voting to all eligible voters together with the notice of right to vote (polling card) in March.
The Ministry of Justice is preparing for the municipal elections in cooperation with the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).
The Ministry and the THL will monitor the development of the COVID-19 epidemic closely and, if necessary, they will issue more specific instructions on the election arrangement.