Parliamentary Speaker Maria Lohela interrupted an animated debate on customers’ health care payments during Thursday’s parliamentary question time to allow Finance Minister Alexander Stubb a platform to apologise for flubbing numbers relating to support for a contentious proposal.
Opposition SDP chair Antti Rinne criticised the move, saying that it called into question the purpose of parliamentary question time.
"It is inconceivable that the Speaker gave a speaking turn to Minister Stubb. The Speaker is speaker for the entire parliament, not a manager of manoeuvres," Rinne declared after the sitting.
Left Alliance chair Paavo Arhinmäki also expressed bewilderment at Stubb’s seemingly impromptu apology.
"It came unexpectedly and in an unusual way in the middle of the discussion. It certainly caused surprise in the chamber," Arhinmäki added.
Opposition preparing Stubb interpellation
Stubb’s manoeuvre prompted the parliamentary group leaders of the SDP, Left Alliance and Greens to take up the issue with Speaker Maria Lohela after the session.
The group leaders wanted to know why there was no advance notification of the apology as per parliamentary protocol. The Speaker responded that Stubb asked for a speaking opportunity in the middle of the session.
Opposition MPs also complained that there had been no opportunity for a proper discussion of the cloud of mistrust now shrouding the minister.
Before the start of parliamentary question time, the Left Alliance and the Greens had issued a media release stating their intention to table an interpellation about Stubb's statements in Parliament.
The motion accuses the Finance Minister of providing inaccurate information to MPs about government’s now-buried proposal to reform the securities depository system, when he said that the measure had more support from experts than it actually received.
The Social Democrats are to decide Friday at an extraordinary parliamentary group meeting whether or not to back the interpellation.
Stubb: I wanted to apologise in the same forum
For his part, Stubb sought to clear the air on his unexpected statement after the session Thursday.
"I went to ask the Speaker for permission for the apology. The reason was that I had made a mistake during parliamentary question time and I also wanted to correct it and apologise in the same forum," the minister said.
"Because the securities depository was not discussed today, I went to ask for special permission during the session," he added.
Yle’s senior political journalist Pekka Ervasti said he could not remember a similar occurrence in his career. He added that it was unusual to see the government get an opportunity to "jump the line" in the speaking order.
