National Coalition Party to re-evaluate Ilkka Sasi’s candidacy for elections in Tampere

The Tampere regional organization of the National Coalition Party (Kokoomus) is set to re-evaluate Ilkka Sasi’s candidacy for municipal and regional elections. The organization’s board will discuss the matter concerning the former deputy mayor next Wednesday. In September, the regional chair, Ilpo Rantanen, stated that a decision regarding Sasi’s candidacy was already in place, making it seemingly inappropriate to revisit it. However, Rantanen now expresses a need for reassessment.

Rantanen points to Sasi’s recent inquiry directed at Mayor Kalervo Kummola regarding his behavior and capacity to continue serving as mayor. “If his views on the mayor and the party are as such, we need to consider if he belongs on the National Coalition’s list,” Rantanen remarks. Aamulehti first reported on the re-evaluation of Sasi’s candidacy, indicating that his expulsion from the party’s council group has turned into a permanent situation.

Sasi has established his own council group and is currently a member of both the Tampere City Council and the Pirkanmaa Regional Council. The decision regarding candidate nominations for the upcoming spring elections will be made at the general assembly of the National Coalition’s regional organization, with candidate lists to be submitted in March.

Sasi was removed from his position as deputy mayor in September due to a loss of the council’s trust, which stemmed from allegations of sexual offenses that the prosecutor later chose not to pursue.