Prime Minister Researchers: Credibility in government’s corona policy may suffer from Marin’s evening, but wider crisis unlikely

Policy|Prime minister

HS: n the political scientists interviewed consider it unlikely that the prime minister Sanna Marinin (sd) weekend night out the resulting debate would lead to a wider political crisis.

Instead, the credibility of the government’s interest rate policy may suffer, they estimate. The same can happen to the Prime Minister’s own favor and to the support of his party’s SDP.

Marin continued to spend the night in Helsinki’s nightlife on Saturday, even after receiving information from the Foreign Minister. Pekka Haaviston (green) coronary infection. Marin had been exposed to the virus as he had been in the same meetings with Haavisto.

The prime minister had also left home a government official cell phone to which he was sent a call to avoid contact, so he did not receive any messages. According to the Minister’s Manual an office phone should be kept with you.

Postdoctoral Researcher Johanna Vuorelma The University of Helsinki states that the trust of government partners is, of course, essential for Marin’s future. So far, there have been no signs that it is faltering.

“At least so far, no signals of the kind have been seen in the public domain that such a lack of discretion in government parties would be considered so aggravating that he would no longer be trusted,” Vuorelma says.

The Treasury minister Annika Saarikko (center) for example comments to HS on Marini’s decision to continue spending the night in a restaurant and nightclub despite exposure to Korona saying that the matter is at everyone’s discretion.

At the same time, Vuorelma estimates that the case may have an impact on the credibility of the government’s interest rate policy. That would be because many citizens have experienced that Marin’s assessment of the situation was disappointing after the coronary situation has worsened.

Also Marin himself has statedthat he should have used better judgment. He wrote on Facebook on Monday night that he was “really sorry” for not doing so.

“Marin has succeeded in creating such a common political picture that Korona needs to be taken seriously, and now this type of case may be undermining the legitimacy and credibility of the restrictions,” says Vuorelma.

He states also that similar turmoil could have an impact on Marin’s personal popularity and the popularity of the Prime Minister’s Party’s SDP.

Noise can change the story around the hitherto popular Marin: The public debate has recently interpreted the Prime Minister’s actions differently and focused on, for example, his private life and the considerations associated with it.

“This case may settle into a continuum that weighs expectations of the prime minister’s institution and Marin’s efforts to shake the institution.”

Also Professor of Political Science at Åbo Akademi University Kimmo Grönlund considers that, on the basis of current information, the debate on Marin ‘s activities is unlikely to escalate into a wider political crisis.

“At least I wouldn’t see it, but it’s not impossible,” he says.

Grönlund also considers it possible that the popularity of Marin and his party, the SDP, will suffer from the debate. It is also possible, according to him, that confidence in the Prime Minister as the leader of corona policy would weaken.

“It can be seen that very popular prime ministers can quickly lose their popularity. The same thing happened To Juha Sipilä (middle) and Alexander Stubbille (kok) at least. Yes, yes Even Matti Vanhan (Central) was in trouble at the time, ”says Grönlund.

“No one else has had such lasting popularity except anyone [presidentti] Sauli in Niinistöwhich, of course, is in a different position. ”

Greenland estimates that the opposition will certainly continue the debate on Marin’s actions. The escalation of the wider political crisis is likely to be fueled by Marin’s compliance with THL’s guidelines for twice-vaccinated.

In addition the Government is insuredthat the Prime Minister can always be reached even if he does not have an official telephone in accordance with the instructions.

“Okay, because this is a real steak,” says Grönlund.

According to Grönlund, the events may be reflected in the popularity of the SDP, in addition to the general debate, due to the fact that the party’s supporters have a much older population.

“There is also an intergenerational gap in what we consider appropriate for the Prime Minister’s behavior. Maybe he needs to think about it, and certainly within the party, he’s wondering how it will work, ”says Grönlund.

He himself emphasizes that he finds the corresponding debate on suitability, for example, in connection with Marin’s leisure, unfortunate. Politically, however, it can have an impact.