Kansalaisliitto
Lang 1Finnish
Lang 2Finnish
ChairmanArto Paajanen
SecretaryPäivi Järnfors
First deputy chairJuho Tanila[1]
Second deputy chairTerho Anttolainen[1]
Third deputy chairSatu Immola[1]
Founded17 July 1994
HeadquartersLaitila
Youth wingIndependence Youth
IdeologyDirect democracy
Economic democracy
Anti-racism[2]
EuropeanTEAM
CountryFinland

'Kansalaisliitto ('; formerly Independence Party (Finnish: Itsenäisyyspuolue, IPU;[3] Swedish: Självständighetspartiet[4]) is a de-registered Eurosceptic political party in Finland.[5] It was founded on 17 July 1994 as Alliance for Free Finland.[6] The party supports Finland’s membership in the European Economic Area, however it is against its membership in the European Union and the Eurozone. The party opposes Finland’s membership in NATO.[7]

Party organization

Based in Laitila, Kansalaisliitto was a registered party from 1994 to 2023. Kansalaisliitto is a minor political party;[8] it has never had any MPs in the Finnish Parliament.[9] Its youth wing is called Independence Youth.[10] The party is a member of The European Alliance of EU-critical Movements (TEAM).[11]

History

Kansalaisliitto was founded in 1994 as Alliance for Free Finland (Finnish: Vapaan Suomen Liitto, VSL; Swedish: Förbundet för det Fria Finland, FFF).[3][12] Its chairman from its founding until 2004 was Ilkka Hakalehto.[13]

Antti Pesonen served as the party's chairman from 2004 until his resignation for health reasons in 2015. He was re-elected chairman 2016,[5] but resigned again in 2017 shortly before his death in April.[14] He had previously been a city councilor of the party in Alajärvi.[2] Henri Aitakari followed Pesonen as chairman.[15]

Kansalaisliitto has been admitted into the party register four times,[9] the latest re-admission having taken place in January 2017.[14] Only Communist Workers' Party – For Peace and Socialism has dropped out and been re-admitted as many times.[9] The party was de-registered again in 2023 after failing to win seats in two consecutive parliamentary elections.[16]

References

  1. ^ "Yhteystiedot" (in Finnish). Independence Party. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  2. ^ Rautanen, Päivi (30 November 2016). "Itsenäisyyspuolueella jälleen kannattajat koossa" (in Finnish). Yle Uutiset. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  3. ^ Mickelsson, Rauli (2007). Suomen puolueet: historia, muutos ja nykypäivä (in Finnish). Tampere: Vastapaino. p. 293. ISBN 978-951-768-217-6.
  4. ^ "Itsenäisyyspuolue r.p., Självständighetspartiet r.p." (in Finnish). Suomen Asiakastieto. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  5. ^ Rautanen, Päivi (15 August 2016). "Antti Pesonen johtaa jälleen Itsenäisyyspuoluetta" (in Finnish). Yle Uutiset. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  6. ^ Tolkki, Tommi (18 July 1994). "Vapaan Suomen liitto pyrkii puolueeksi". Helsingin Sanomat. Archived 12 July 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
  7. ^ Tikkala, Hannu & Tolkki, Kristiina (3 April 2019). "'Hävittäjähankinnat peruttava, 1 200 euron perustulo kaikille, opintolainat nollattava' – tätä kaikkea pienpuolueet lupaavat äänestäjille" (in Finnish). Yle Uutiset. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
  8. ^ Niemistö, Elina (13 April 2015). "Vaaliennakko: Pienpuolueiden ehdokkaat uskovat asiaansa" (in Finnish). Yle Uutiset. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  9. ^ Rautanen, Päivi (30 January 2017). "Itsenäisyyspuolue pääsi jälleen puoluerekisteriin ja teki samalla ennätyksen" (in Finnish). Yle Uutiset. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  10. ^ "Itsenäisyysnuoret haluavat pelastaa maapallon" (in Finnish). Ilkka. 16 October 2012. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  11. ^ "Members and observers of TEAM". TEAM. Archived from the original on 23 January 2018. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  12. ^ "Political parties and abbreviations used in municipal elections in 2000". Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Municipal elections [e-publication]. Helsinki: Statistics Finland. 31 May 2004. ISSN 2323-1114. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  13. ^ Rautanen, Päivi (31 August 2015). "Itsenäisyyspuolue etsii puheenjohtajaa" (in Finnish). Yle Uutiset. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  14. ^ "Itsenäisyyspuolueen entinen puheenjohtaja Antti Pesonen on kuollut" (in Finnish). Yle Uutiset. STT. 5 April 2017. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  15. ^ "Henri Aitakarista Itsenäisyyspuolueen puheenjohtaja" (in Finnish). Länsi-Suomi. 28 August 2017. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  16. ^ "Yhdeksän puoluetta poistettu puoluerekisteristä" (in Finnish). Vaalit.fi. Ministry of Justice. 19 April 2023. Retrieved 19 April 2023.