European Interest

Finland backs redistribution of UK’s EU seats, stirs controversy at home

Flickr/FinnishGovernment/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
“I understand and am very keenly aware that the prime minister leads Finland’s EU policy. But he doesn’t dictate Finland’s EU policy,” Terho stated to Uusi Suomi.

Finland’s European affairs, culture and sports minister, Sampo Terho, is disappointed with the government’s decision to back the partial redistribution of the United Kingdom’s seats in the European Parliament.

He accused the government of high-handedly changing its position on the re-distribution of the UK’s seats in the European Parliament, reported the Helsinki Times.

“I understand and am very keenly aware that the prime minister leads Finland’s EU policy. But he doesn’t dictate Finland’s EU policy,” Terho stated to Uusi Suomi. “These views are formed collectively and they must be respected as long as they remain unchanged.”

According to the Helsinki Times, the country’s ministerial committee on EU affairs announced it supports a compromise proposal that would re-distribute 27 of the UK’s 73 seats in the European Parliament evenly among the remaining 27 member states after Brexit.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Petteri Orpo said he was disappointment at how the disagreement became public.

“I think they’ve put together quite an absurd mess,” he said. “Today’s operation was carried out rather distastefully. I’m certain it won’t do good for the [relations between the three ruling parties].”

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