The elections are coming up fast. I'll be getting the chance to make a difference for the first time in my life by entering the voting booth and scribbling something on a piece of paper. It's an oddly unnerving feeling - not because of the make a difference crap, but because there isn't really anyone to vote for.
As long as I have been around and heard about politics, there has always been someone who I could have voted for had I been of age. But as time has gone by, I've time and time again come to the conclusion that these politicians just aren't worth it. I ruled out Keskusta and Kokoomus right off the bat, since I've been leaning left for a long time, and the small parties are usually special interest groups that have managed to wriggle themselves through the parliament doors. SDP may be the largest "socialist" party but it just is not worth it, since they are in some ways more right-leaning than the right wing. The success story, that is Perussuomalaiset, has started to grow closer to the big three as far as actual agendas go, criticizing big parties at every turn while announcing policies that could hardly be seen as profitable towards the general public. They will get the unsure and disappointed voters by pure populism, hiding their true colours behind the smoke and mirrors.
I've been really thinking about this for a couple of months now, following the viable parties much closer than I usually would. I've narrowed it down to two possibilities; Piraattipuolue or Vasemmistoliitto. They're both good choices, the first looking out for my interests as an avid internet and computer user, the latter on the other hand would look out for my interests as a student and young adult. Vasemmistoliitto really is the only political party in Finland at the moment that is on the left. I can't see the Pirates achieving their goal of entering the parliament this time around either, so it would be in my best interest to support a party that's already there, right?
All in all, Paavo Arhinmäki has done a great job in moving the left back to the left with Vasemmistoliitto. If he gets his ranks together and they look competitive, it might just be that they will be getting my vote next election. Sure they won't probably get into the government, but it would still be a much more worthy cause than a party that probably won't even get a seat in the parliament in the first place.
As long as I have been around and heard about politics, there has always been someone who I could have voted for had I been of age. But as time has gone by, I've time and time again come to the conclusion that these politicians just aren't worth it. I ruled out Keskusta and Kokoomus right off the bat, since I've been leaning left for a long time, and the small parties are usually special interest groups that have managed to wriggle themselves through the parliament doors. SDP may be the largest "socialist" party but it just is not worth it, since they are in some ways more right-leaning than the right wing. The success story, that is Perussuomalaiset, has started to grow closer to the big three as far as actual agendas go, criticizing big parties at every turn while announcing policies that could hardly be seen as profitable towards the general public. They will get the unsure and disappointed voters by pure populism, hiding their true colours behind the smoke and mirrors.
I've been really thinking about this for a couple of months now, following the viable parties much closer than I usually would. I've narrowed it down to two possibilities; Piraattipuolue or Vasemmistoliitto. They're both good choices, the first looking out for my interests as an avid internet and computer user, the latter on the other hand would look out for my interests as a student and young adult. Vasemmistoliitto really is the only political party in Finland at the moment that is on the left. I can't see the Pirates achieving their goal of entering the parliament this time around either, so it would be in my best interest to support a party that's already there, right?
All in all, Paavo Arhinmäki has done a great job in moving the left back to the left with Vasemmistoliitto. If he gets his ranks together and they look competitive, it might just be that they will be getting my vote next election. Sure they won't probably get into the government, but it would still be a much more worthy cause than a party that probably won't even get a seat in the parliament in the first place.