Parliamentary vote on extradition law hangs in balance as key supporters face possible absence

The fate of the extradition law hangs in the balance and is set to be decided in a parliamentary session on Friday. The outcome doesn’t just depend on the law’s opponents but also its supporters. As an emergency law, it requires a five-sixths majority of the votes cast to be declared urgent.

There are three parliamentarians who may have to miss Friday’s plenary session due to family reasons. Hilkka Kemppi, a representative from the Centre Party, is currently pregnant and has stated she will vote in favor of the law if she can attend. She says that her due date coincides with the vote and she will attend if she feels well, her labor hasn’t started and the trip to Helsinki isn’t a risk for her baby.

Another Centre Party representative, Annika Saarikko, has announced that she will not be able to attend the vote due to her pregnancy. She finds it regrettable that the law’s handling schedule was extended this far into the summer. Saarikko would have voted in favor of the law.

Eveliina Heinäluoma, a representative from the Social Democratic Party who is also pregnant, is due to give birth in July. Heinäluoma hasn’t directly stated that she supports the law, but as a member of the Administrative Committee, she has supported the report that was finalized on Monday and criticized the Greens’ actions regarding the extradition law.

Two law advocates, Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen and Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen, are likely to be abroad less than 24 hours before the vote. They are both attending a NATO summit in the United States on Thursday. However, the ministers are expected to participate in the decisive vote on Friday.

Prime Minister Petteri Orpo is currently on holiday but is expected to attend the session where the extradition law will be discussed. The Finnish Party’s parliamentary group leader, Jani Mäkelä, does not want to “speculate” on possible absences. His party has instructed its representatives to be present for the vote.

Five Social Democratic Party members have said they will vote against the law. In the Social Democratic Party, there is a “hard core” of up to nine parliamentarians who are very negative about the extradition law. The party’s parliamentary group leader, Tytti Tuppurainen, has also pushed responsibility for the extradition law’s passage onto other parties.

The position of the governing Swedish People’s Party on the extradition law is still unclear. No other absences have been reported besides Saarikko and Kemppi. All representatives of the Green Party and the Christian Democrats are confirmed to attend the session on Friday. Harry Harkimo from the Movement Now party will be present for the vote and will vote in favor of the law.