Green vote-winner Oskari Siitari quits Satakunta councils

Yle reports that Oskari Siitari, the Green League’s top vote-winner in Satakunta’s regional and municipal elections, is moving away from the region and must leave all his political posts there.

Siitari has announced his resignation from the regional council because he is moving out of Satakunta. As a result, he must also resign from Pori City Council.

Siitari received 558 votes in the regional elections, the highest total on the Greens’ Satakunta list. He received 490 votes in the municipal elections.

Taru Hyrkäs will replace him on Pori City Council, while Minka Leino-Holm of Pori will take his seat on the regional council.

Absences led to dispute

Siitari had become a problem for the Greens because of his frequent absences. He did not attend meetings of the regional board, and the party had already begun disciplinary proceedings against him. Before those measures were taken, he resigned from the Greens’ council groups.

The Greens then demanded that Siitari also resign from the regional board and as chair of Pori’s audit committee.

Siitari had already resigned from Pori City Council once before, but withdrew his resignation application in June.

Yle has tried several times during the summer and early autumn to contact Siitari, but he has not answered calls or text messages. Yle does not know where he is moving or whether he plans to continue in politics at his new place of residence.