The Social Democratic Party parliamentary group has reappointed Tytti Tuppurainen as its chair following weeks of internal dispute linked to harassment claims within the party.
The decision was taken on Tuesday morning as MPs returned to parliament after the winter recess. The group elected its leadership for the new parliamentary session in a meeting that lasted close to two hours. All appointments were agreed unanimously, according to party officials.
Tuppurainen has led the parliamentary group since 2023 and faced pressure after media reports described complaints about conduct inside the group. She denied the claims and said they were incorrect.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Tuppurainen said the group had given her full backing despite a difficult period.
“The parliamentary group is not easy to lead, but we received unanimous support,” she said after the vote.
She added that the discussion during the meeting was open and direct. She said the group needed space to address the issue face to face.
Two vice chairs were also appointed. Piritta Rantanen continues in the role, while Seppo Eskelinen was elected as the second vice chair. Eskelinen replaces Kim Berg, who stepped down from the leadership before the vote.
Tuppurainen said Berg made the decision himself and that the group respected it.
“He felt the public discussion of recent weeks was heavy,” she said. “He chose to step aside to give the group a new start.”
Berg has been at the centre of reports published by Ilta-Sanomat concerning events at the party’s summer meeting in 2023. According to the newspaper, Berg asked several female staff members whether they had experienced harassment and, if not, whether they wished to be harassed. Berg later apologised publicly after the issue became public.
Berg confirmed on Tuesday that he had given up the vice chair role of his own accord. He said the aim was to restore working conditions inside the group.
“I hope this decision gives our parliamentary group working peace,” Berg told Ilta-Sanomat. “We have important domestic and foreign policy issues on the table and all energy has gone into this matter.”
He said there had been support for him to continue but that he judged stepping aside as the only option at this stage.
Berg declined to comment further on whether his behaviour had been inappropriate. He referred journalists to earlier statements posted on Facebook, where he said he regretted wording that had offended listeners and said he had learned from the incident.
The controversy around the Social Democrats widened in January after the national broadcaster Yle aired a documentary in which MP Ville Merinen raised concerns about the treatment of parliamentary assistants. Merinen said at the time that leadership changes were needed and later confirmed that he was referring to the group leadership.
Merinen, who remains on sick leave, attended Tuesday’s meeting in person. Before the session began, he said he would support Tuppurainen to continue.
“I will vote for Tytti,” he told reporters. “Steps have now been clarified. The party has launched an inquiry and things move forward from there.”
Merinen said he expected consequences for MPs accused of harassment. He referred to Berg and Marko Asell, who has also been linked to the media reports.
The party leadership has stressed that decisions beyond the leadership vote will wait for the outcome of an external inquiry. The Social Democrats have commissioned the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health to conduct a workplace review involving parliamentary staff.
Party leader Antti Lindtman said the order of events was clear.
“First we wait for the report, which is due in March,” Lindtman said as he arrived at the meeting. “After that we look at next steps.”
Lindtman also defended Tuppurainen, saying she had faced unfair accusations. He said it was right for the parliamentary group to make its own leadership choices.
STT reported in January that several sources described Tuppurainen’s leadership style as inappropriate. She rejected the claims and said they did not reflect her conduct.
HT