Lapland politicians oppose election district merger with Oulu, prefer union with Kainuu and Koillismaa
Lapland’s members of parliament have rejected a proposed merger of their election district with Oulu’s, instead favoring a union with Kainuu and Koillismaa to lower the effective voting threshold, Yle reports.
The proposal, put forward by National Coalition Party MP Heikki Autto, has received cautious support from other Lapland politicians. Autto suggests combining Lapland’s district with those of Kainuu and Koillismaa—currently part of Oulu’s district—if local residents and municipalities agree. Social Democrat MP Johanna Ojala-Niemelä and Finns Party MP Sara Seppänen have both responded positively to the idea, noting it could reduce the implicit vote threshold that currently disadvantages Lapland’s voters.
Under Finland’s electoral system, sparsely populated districts like Lapland require a higher percentage of votes for a candidate to win a seat compared to densely populated areas such as Uusimaa. For example, Ojala-Niemelä explained that while 3% of the vote may suffice in Uusimaa, Lapland’s parties need around 13% to secure a single representative. This disparity was highlighted in 2019, when Green League candidate Riikka Karppinen received the second-highest vote share in Lapland but failed to win a seat due to insufficient total party support.
The Ministry of Justice confirmed that Autto’s proposed model is legally feasible and would not require constitutional amendments, unlike the Lapland-Oulu merger plan. However, Arto Jääskeläinen, head of electoral affairs at the ministry, warned that the solution would not be sustainable in the long term due to declining populations in the region. Currently, Lapland elects six MPs, while Kainuu and Koillismaa together elect three, totaling nine—a number that could shrink further as populations decline.
Jääskeläinen emphasized that any change would require broad discussion among politicians and citizens, particularly in Kainuu and Koillismaa, where shifting from Oulu’s district to Lapland’s would represent a more significant adjustment. The final decision rests with political parties, though preparations for the government’s original Lapland-Oulu merger proposal are already underway.