Centre Party: Newcomer from Savo elected to party leadership

The Centre Party convened its party congress in Tampere, electing new deputy leaders and reaffirming its core political stances. Antti Kaikkonen, the party leader, addressed the congress, highlighting the party's dedication to Finnish agriculture and the need for significant fiscal adjustments in the upcoming government term.

During the congress, Hilkka Kemppi and Markus Lohi were re-elected as deputy leaders. Kemppi, known for her liberal values and advocacy for families and social welfare, secured 1206 votes. Lohi, who positions himself as a center-right economic expert, emphasized the necessity of budget adjustments. A newcomer to the deputy leadership is Markku Siponen, a first-term Member of Parliament and agricultural entrepreneur from Savonia, who garnered 935 votes.

Kaikkonen's keynote speech focused on achieving 100% self-sufficiency in food production, a stance he presented as a defense of domestic agriculture against potential cuts to agricultural subsidies by other parties. He stressed that the Centre Party would not participate in a government that does not commit to fiscal consolidation, urging other major parties to show similar clarity. The party leader also underscored the importance of security as a central theme for the Centre Party.