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Ref. CG-PR020 (2017)

Congress’ delegation to observe local elections in Finland

Strasbourg, 6 April 2017 - A delegation of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe is undertaking a visit to Finland from 5 to 10 April 2017, to observe the local elections scheduled for 9 April. Headed by Congress Rapporteur Ms Lelia Hunziker (Switzerland, SOC), the delegation includes 23 participants from 18 Council of Europe Member States.

Prior to Election Day, preparatory meetings are held on 6 and 7 April in Helsinki, with a particular focus on the current territorial reform and implications for the local elections on Sunday. For this purpose, the delegation will exchange views with the Director of the election administration of Ministry of Justice, Mr Arto Jääskeläinen, the Minister of Local Government and Public reforms, Ms Anu Vehviläinen, as well as the Mayor of Helsinki, M. Jussi Pajunen.

Further briefings will be organised with representatives of the diplomatic corps, the Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities, NGOs and media representatives, as well as members of the Finnish delegation to the Congress and electoral candidates.

On Election Day, 9 April, the Congress delegation will deploy 10 teams to observe voting in different regions of the country.

A Press Conference will be held on Monday, 10 April 2017, at 11:00 to present the preliminary conclusions of the mission (venue: Crowne Plaza Hotel, Meeting room 1 – Mannerheimintie 50, 00260 Helsinki).

The detailed Report including recommendations following this observation mission will be debated in the frame of the 33th Plenary Session of the Congress, in October 2017 in Strasbourg.

·         Programme

·         Press invitation

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Observing local and regional elections is one of the action priorities of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities. This activity complements the political monitoring of the European Charter of Local Self-Government, which constitutes the cornerstone of local and regional democracy in Europe. It contributes to ensuring the integrity of elections and building voters’ confidence at grassroots’ level. Since 1990, the Congress has conducted about 100 election observation missions in some of the 47 Council of Europe member states and beyond.

Contacts:
Renate ZIKMUND, Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, Head of the Division of Local and Regional Election Observation, Phone: + 33 659 786 455, email: [email protected]

Congress of Local and Regional Authorities

Planning, Coordination and institutional Communication Unit

Tel: +33 (0)3 90 21 48 95

Fax:+33 (0)3 88 41 27 51

[email protected]

www.coe.int/congress

The Congress has two chambers, the Chamber of Local Authorities and the Chamber of Regions. It brings together 324 full and 324 substitute members representing more than 200 000 European territorial communities.

President of the Congress: Gudrun Mosler-Törnström (Austria, SOC), President of the Chamber of Local Authorities: Anders Knape (Sweden, EPP/CCE), President of the Chamber of Regions: Gunn Marit Helgesen (Norway, EPP-CCE)

Political Groups: Socialist Group (SOC), Group of the European People’s Party (EPP/CCE), Independent and Liberal Democrat Group (ILDG), European Conservatives & Reformists Group  (ECR)