Harassment allegations put Rauma Social Democrat under pressure

Several senior politicians in Rauma have publicly criticised the conduct of Kalle Leppikorpi, leader of the Social Democratic council group, as allegations of harassment put his position under pressure, Yle reports. Leppikorpi denies the accusations.

Rauma’s city board chair Heidi Hiljanen, city council chair Otso Huuska, deputy city board chair Sari Pettersson and board member Lotta Hatakka have all described their experiences of what they consider Leppikorpi’s unusual behaviour.

Leppikorpi has already been expelled from his party association, the Rauma Workers’ Association, following more serious allegations made anonymously. He denies claims of harassment, bullying, misogyny and targeted harassment.

The situation is unusual in Rauma, a western-coast industrial city whose politics have traditionally been consensual. A comparable impasse dates back more than a decade, when Conservative politician Jyrki Santala faced a dispute over compensation for lost earnings and was abandoned by members of his own party.

Leppikorpi was known from 2017 to 2025 as a strong chair of Rauma’s city board, willing to support decisions that could be difficult from the perspective of traditional Social Democratic policy. He had sufficient backing within his own party at the time.

Tensions escalated after Leppikorpi lost the city board chairmanship to Hiljanen by drawing lots following the latest municipal elections. Hiljanen’s supporters say he had long sidelined his own council group and become too attached to his position as the city’s leading politician. Politicians across party lines have suggested that Leppikorpi has not accepted his new role and has spent time criticising both his party and the city.

It is difficult for outsiders to know whether Leppikorpi has genuinely sought to displace Hiljanen and return to the board chairmanship. But his dissatisfaction has been felt well beyond Rauma.

Social Democrats in Rauma told Yle on Wednesday that Leppikorpi could face a challenge when the council group elects its leadership in January. The public criticism from senior politicians may force both him and the party to consider their next steps sooner.

The Social Democrats won nearly 40 per cent of the vote in Rauma’s municipal elections, making them the city’s dominant party. The situation is serious if a party of that size cannot firmly support its group leader, while other parties question his ability to cooperate.

The approaching parliamentary elections add urgency. Even a small drop in support could undermine the Social Democrats’ hopes of returning to three seats in Satakunta.