Parliament | Jussi Halla-aho advised MP Jessi Jokelais about dressing – defining the dress code is not easy, says Sami Sykkö

Parliamentary dress code came up for discussion again on Tuesday after the Speaker of the Parliament Jussi Halla-aho (ps) was handed out in an e-mail conversation by a member of parliament from the Left Alliance Jessi from Jokelai about this dress.

Halla-aho’s and Jokelainen’s conversation started with citizen feedback addressed to both. Jokelainen replied that he has not received any kind of remark from the speaker of the parliament for wearing a short-sleeved shirt.

After this, Halla-aho replied to Jokelainen that even a neat t-shirt does not represent the parliament’s dress code, i.e. smart casual style, and is not suitable for the session hall. Halla-aho himself later clarified that it was not an official remark, but an invitation to consider the matter.

Jessi Jokelainen’s t-shirt raised the debate about the dress code of the parliament.Video: Parliament

How does the parliament’s dress code really guide MPs? Until September 2020, the dress code was quite strict.

“According to established practice, a representative’s stable and dignified appearance is considered to include proper and neat clothing. Speakers guide the interpretation of the dress code, if necessary,” the plenary session practices recorded by the Speaker’s Council of the Parliament read until then.

The instruction was felt to be too vague, and the Council of Speakers decided to update it.

“Ultimately, this goes back to the constitution, which requires MPs to behave in a stable and dignified manner. At least I personally think that dressing must also support this”, who acted as speaker at the time Anu Vehviläinen (middle) reasoned at that time the matter to IS.

For dress code it was added at that time that neat dressing means at least a business or smart casual dress code.

“Also, showing a clear opinion by dressing is not part of parliamentary behavior. For example, the use of shirts, large badges, scarves, bandanas, cloths, masks or the like to show support or opposition to a political, social or commercial issue or movement is not part of the parliamentary dress code. The dress code of representatives is required to be neutral,” the instruction also added.

There where the ban on expressions of opinion is clear, the smart casual guidelines are not, says the fashion editor Sami Sykkö.

“It means dressing a little more festively or formally than casual dressing, but there are not as precise rules for it as there are for other dress codes. In different occasions and situations, it can be interpreted in very different ways. Women in particular have a lot of choice, while men are expected to wear a suit jacket or similar neat clothing,” says Sykkö.

For example, even a short-sleeved shirt could sneak into the dress code in a very warm country, according to Sykö. In Finland’s temperatures, it can easily be made a little more festive with, for example, a jacket or cardigan.

According to Sykö, the scope of the dress code, especially for women, means that boundary-pushing situations will inevitably occur.

“Here, a boundary has clearly been drawn regarding what smart casual means in the context of the parliament. And the speaker seems to have come to the conclusion that a short-sleeved shirt is not that,” says Sykkö.

Halla-aho told HS that Jokelainen is not the first representative to whom he mentions about dressing in the plenary hall. However, he did not specify how often or with whom such discussions have taken place.

On the other hand, some of the Style Choices of MPs have become more public.

The most visible cases of recent times were of the greens Jenni Pitko A short-sleeved shirt with the text The Future is Feminist in autumn 2020. The then Speaker Antti Rinne (sd) pointed out the shirt to Pitko after the plenary session by phone.

After the incident, the Council of Speakers refined the dress code for plenary sessions to its current form.

Jokelainen with the exception of this case, there have been no major dress code debates in parliament since the guidelines were clarified, even if, for example Sebastian Tynkkynen (ps) flannel shirt has also been held against the dress code. Last fall, the media highlighted the former prime minister who returned as a member of parliament Sanna Marini (s.d.) a shirt that exposed one shoulder in the plenary session of the parliament.

Before the guidelines were specified, the dress of several politicians was covered in the media. Perhaps the most famous cases include Rosa Meriläinen (green) miniskirt crossed as a “splash flap” due to its small size. Mini skirts have also received criticism Sea flower Forsius (green) and The fairy tale Taiveaho (sd). The skirt of Forsius scolded in addition to the media, also the then deputy speaker Sirkka-Liisa Anttila (center). On the other hand, the lack of tact has been brought up in the media Kimmo Kiljunen (sd).

Itthat the speaker in the plenary session would point out the MP’s clothing is rarer, but not impossible.

Age Speaker of the Parliament Martti Tiuri (kok) urged a member of the ecological party in 1995 Pertti “Veltto” from Virta to take off his beret, which he refused. Later, Virtanen received a special permit to use the beret.

Rkp MP Klaus Bremer it was pointed out in 1997 in the plenary hall that he arrived there in a suit jacket and shorts.

The clothing of MPs has been discussed throughout the history of the parliament. In the 1980s, there was even an official line on the issue, when the Green Movement Ville Komsi got a remark about his sweater and rubber boots. Come on asked about it a statement from the chancellor of justice, who stated that the parliament cannot prevent a member of parliament from dressing as they wish.