2 Keskusta MPs face action for voting against stimulus package

The parliamentary group of the Suomen Keskusta (Centre Party of Finland), the second largest component of the five-party alliance government, on Wednesday warned two of its lawmakers for casting votes against the European Union coronavirus recovery package.

Keskusta MPs Hannu Hoskonen and Tuomas Kettunen are facing the party action as they cast votes against the package in parliament on Tuesday.

The party also decided to remove Hoskonen from the chairmanship of the Parliamentary committee on Environmental Affairs, reported the national broadcaster Yle.

Parliament on Tuesday approved the EUR 750 billion European Union coronavirus recovery package.

The proposal was passed by 134 votes to 57, where six lawmakers remained absent and two refrained from voting.

To be adopted, the proposal required at least two-thirds of the votes cast in the plenary session.

All the lawmakers of the five-party alliance government, excepting two of the Suomen Keskusta (Centre Party of Finland), who were present in parliament cast votes in favour of the proposal.

All lawmakers of the main opposition Perussuomalaiset (Finns Party) and another opposition party, the Suomen Kristillisdemokraati (Christian Democratic Party), voted against the package.

Most of the MPs of another opposition party, the Kansallinen Kokoomus (National Coalition Party-NCP), however, cast votes in favour of the package.

Twenty-six lawmakers of the Kokoomus supported and 10 opposed the proposal while two refrained from voting.