2015 Ålandic legislative election explained

Country:Åland
Previous Election:2011
Next Election:2019
Election Date:18 October 2015
Seats For Election:All 30 seats in the Parliament of Åland
Majority Seats:16
Turnout:70.39% (3.51 pp)
Party1:Liberals for Åland
Leader1:Katrin Sjögren
Last Election1:6
Percentage1:23.28
Seats1:7
Party2:Åland Centre
Leader2:Harry Jansson
Last Election2:7
Percentage2:21.60
Seats2:7
Party3:Moderate Coalition for Åland
Leader3:Johan Ehn
Last Election3:4
Percentage3:17.88
Seats3:5
Party4:Åland Social Democrats
Leader4:Camilla Gunell
Last Election4:6
Percentage4:15.84
Seats4:5
Party5:Non-aligned Coalition
Leader5:Gun-Mari Lindholm
Last Election5:4
Percentage5:9.61
Seats5:3
Party6:Future of Åland
Leader6:Axel Jonsson
Last Election6:3
Percentage6:7.35
Seats6:2
Party7:Ålandic Democracy
Leader7:Stefan Toivonen
Last Election7:new
Percentage7:3.63
Seats7:1
Lantråd
Before Election:Camilla Gunell
Before Party:Åland Social Democrats
Before Image:Nordiska radets session i Helsingfors (7).jpg
After Election:Katrin Sjögren
After Party:Liberals for Åland
After Image:Katrin Sjogren (cropped).jpg

Legislative elections were held in Åland on 18 October 2015, alongside elections for sixteen municipal councils:[1] Mariehamn town, nine rural socken on the main island, Fasta Åland, and six skerries socken.

Electoral system

The 30 members of the Parliament of Åland were elected by proportional representation, with seats allocated using the d'Hondt method.[1]

Campaign

Seven parties contested the legislative elections, and the municipal elections in most municipalities, although the Liberals for Åland will be the only party to contest all municipalities.

During the 2011–2015 parliamentary term the four MPs from the independent centre-right party Non-aligned Coalition (ObS) merged into the conservative Moderates to become Moderate Coalition for Åland, but the rump of ObS will contest the 2015 elections, and has taken a critical stance against Syrian refugees with a "no to refugees" campaign movie. Another anti-refugee list, the populist Ålandic Democracy, which is led by Stephan Toivonen and also supports equal rights for Finnish speakers, will also be on the ballot.

The regionalist and centrist Åland Centre has called for Åland to establish its own foreign ministry and for the Ålandic healthcare board being appointed solely by the governing coalition rather than the existing system of being proportionally divided between parties.

Other parties contesting the elections were the Åland Social Democrats, the social-liberal centre-right Liberals for Åland, the centrist and separatist Future of Åland.

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.val.ax/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/valinformation-2105-engelska.pdf Election on Åland, 18 October 2015