Kemijärvi council loses quorum after 12 councillors walk out

Yle reports that Kemijärvi City Board will next week consider explanations from 12 councillors who left a city council meeting in May, causing it to lose its quorum.

The meeting was suspended after a large number of councillors walked out while the council was discussing the dismissal of the City Board’s chairperson team. Those who left said the proposal was unlawful.

The council was able to resume the meeting only in June. The chairperson team was then replaced.

Six-month process

A temporary committee spent about six months examining whether the chairperson team retained the council’s confidence. According to the committee’s report, relations within the team had become tense, with members making pointed remarks and questioning each other’s competence.

In June, the council finally voted on no confidence in and the dismissal of the chairperson team. The motion passed by 15 votes to 12.

After the May meeting, the City Board asked the councillors who had left to provide explanations under the Local Government Act.

Ten of the councillors submitted written responses by the deadline. They described their reason for leaving as the loosely defined “other reason”.