Technical issues disrupt council meeting in Parainen as member struggles for floor

Technical issues overshadowed Monday’s city council meeting in Parainen. A notable incident occurred toward the end when council member Lotta Laaksonen, participating remotely, struggled to receive the floor despite making multiple requests to the chair, Jan Eriksson. She was denied the opportunity to speak because her request did not follow official channels. The meeting, streamed on Paraisten’s YouTube channel, shows Laaksonen being unable to contribute.

Remote participation is common in Parainen due to long distances making travel challenging, particularly during adverse weather, which prevented Laaksonen from attending in person. Council rules dictate that remote members use the Cloud Meeting platform to request the floor. However, Laaksonen was unable to get the app working, complicating her ability to speak.

Eventually, her opportunity arose thanks to another council member, Jarmo Takatupa, who interceded on her behalf. Laaksonen accused Eriksson of exercising power improperly. She asserted, “Democracy requires that all council members can speak. A small technical issue shouldn’t stand in the way.”

Eriksson defended his actions as compliant with municipal law, stating he consulted with administration before denying the request for the floor. “I’m still uncertain if I acted correctly. I don’t know myself,” Eriksson remarked, emphasizing he would have acted the same way with anyone.

According to Kirsi Lamberg, a lawyer for the Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities, it is difficult to determine whether the rules were violated, as the situation is interpretative and must be assessed case by case. Lamberg noted that, ideally, there should be a unified approach to technology in meetings to avoid confusion.