It’s not legitimate, and it’s an outrage…
Due to the Finns party’s consistent polling at the top, the SDP chose a “coup d’état” to stay in power rather than call early elections. If the SDP and Center Party had any respect for the Finnish people, they would have called for new elections. They didn’t, and they don’t.
Is the government of Sanna Marin legitimate?
I watched the American Stephen Colbert Show this Christmas. The experience was nice. We have no political satire in Finland. We live in a rigorous time and real political hatred.
It was therefore nice to laugh and calm my mind.
However, there was one thing I bristled at. In one of Colbert’s monologues, he said that Finland’s youngest prime minister, Sanna Marin, has come to power through elections. It was a clear mistake because foreigners do not understand the whirlwinds of Finnish politics. Finland became highlighted on the “world’s map” and Marin was admired. However, comedian Colbert implied that there had been an election in Finland and Marin was the winner of that battle.
In the larger world, it is taken for granted that the Prime Minister will be elected after elections.
We do not.
What is the actual legitimacy of democracy?
It is a word that denotes the right and authority of political power, that is, where the power derives its justification.
Western kings considered themselves entitled to rule by “the grace of God.” The Chinese once again had the idea of Heaven’s authority, which the ruler lost if he did wrong (Shaang vs. Zhou Dynasty).
Democracy is a much more commonplace matter. Government by the people.
Not from God or from Heavenly Mandate, but from human agreement. Neither party shall be in breach of this agreement.
John Locke defined it as “governmental” without the consent of those in authority. In his view, the government’s political authority depended on having received a mandate to act.
We recently adopted the idea of the Prime Minister and party is based on that idea – the leader of the winning party and the largest party is a self-proclaimed prime minister. It was Antti Rinne in the 2019 elections.
Not Sanna Marin.
Marin’s government is facing what can be called a crisis in legitimacy.
This is an important issue.
The power of democracy is that it enables society to cope with difficult times and trials.
However, we have a prime minister who has not been voted prime minister.
Jukka Seppinen has spoken of the “palace revolution”.
Sanna Marin’s government may, therefore, be facing a so-called crisis in legitimacy.
This means that the government will face the harsh reality of spring. At the same time, while striving for very ambitious achievements, it is confronted with growing mistrust among citizens.
Citizens are asking themselves, ‘What right do they have to sit in the Minister’s Audi? After all, Marin has not been elected Prime Minister in the elections…? ”.
Marin has gained trust only from the “good media”.
From all kinds of people in the world.
Not from the people.
