Liberal Party – Freedom to Choose explained

The Liberal Party – Freedom to Choose
Chairperson:Lassi Kivinen
Ideology:Classical liberalism
Market liberalism
Headquarters:Tapionkatu 19 A 17, 33500 Tampere
Country:Finland
Native Name:
Abbreviation:Lib
Leader1 Title:Vice-chairman
Leader1 Name:Joni-Petteri Kivistö
Leader2 Title:Secretary
Leader2 Name:Aarne Leinonen
Youth Wing:Liberaalinuoret
Womens Wing:Liberaalinaiset
Colors: Orange
Slogan:Vapaus valita (Freedom to Choose)
Seats1 Title:Eduskunta
Seats1:
Seats2 Title:European Parliament
Seats3 Title:Municipalities
Seats4 Title:County seats

The Liberal Party – Freedom to Choose (Finnish: Liberaalipuolue – Vapaus valita,), formerly known as the Whisky Party (Finnish: links=no|Kansallinen Viskipuolue,[1] Swedish: links=no|Whiskypartiet[2]), is a classical-liberal Finnish political party, founded in 2015 and admitted to the register of political parties in 2016. Lassi Kivinen was elected chairman in 2022.[3] The party was de-registered in 2023 after failing to win seats in two consecutive parliamentary elections.[4] It was re-registered in January 2024.[5]

Platform

The party has a liberal view on alcohol policies, but claims a liberal platform overall.[6] Its platform is to promote individual freedom, entrepreneurship, and decision-making based on scientific research. It opposes the political power of interest groups.[7] It aims to decrease prohibitive restrictions, such as limitations on opening hours of restaurants and strict licensing of taxis.[8] Tax reductions are also on its agenda.[9]

History

The impetus for founding the Liberal Party was a 2014 event dubbed "Whiskeygate" by the media. A beer and spirits convention was banned from using the name Olut & Viski Expo (Beer & Whiskey Expo) by the authorities, because the name was interpreted as being advertising of spirits, which is prohibited by the law. The party was to be founded in protest to what was perceived as overbearing regulation.[10]

Whiskey Party was founded the next year, in 2015. Just before the 2015 parliamentary election, the then not registered party promoted itself by handing out free portions of Whiskey.[11] [12] The party also published a campaigning song, "Vastuullisesti" ("Responsibly").[13]

After the election, the party continued the practice of publicly serving free whiskey to attract signatures for support cards in the cities of Helsinki, Tampere, and Oulu.[14]

By early February 2016, the party had secured the 5,000 signed support cards needed for registration.[7] On 11 February, it submitted its application to the Ministry of Justice, which maintains the political party register of Finland.[15] The party was officially registered on 18 March 2016.[16]

Soon after, the party had gained enough signatures for registration, it was announced that there will be an election about the official name of the party.[17] On 14 May 2016, the party adopted a new name: Liberaalipuolue ("Liberal Party").[18] The Finnish patent and registration office, however, did not accept the change due to the existence of similarly named associations, such as: Suomen Liberaalinen Puolue ry (Liberal Party of Finland, registered association) and Liberaalit ry (Liberals, registered association).[19] [20]

On 17 June 2016, the party tried to adopt a new name again: The Liberal Party – Freedom to Choose. The name was accepted by the Finnish patent and registration office on 21 June, as the addition to the name was enough to separate it from other associations.[21]

The Liberal Party participated in the municipal elections in 2017 in major cities and allowed as candidates anybody regardless of political experience.[22] [23] The party won 4,117 votes and elected five councilors. None of its candidates were elected in the municipal elections of 2021.

Election results

Parliament of Finland

ElectionVotes%Seats+/-Government
20195,0140.16%New
202314,9930.48% 0

Municipal elections

YearElectedVotesShare
201754,1170.2%
202109470.0%

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Kansallinen Viskipuolue merkitty puoluerekisteriin . National Whiskey Party registered . fi . Ministry of Justice . 2016-03-18 . 2016-03-18 .
  2. Web site: Whiskypartiet nära registrering. Whiskey Party near registration. Hufvudstadsbladet. sv. 10 February 2016. 5 June 2016.
  3. Liberaalipuolueen puoluekokous järjestettiin Helsingissä. The party congress of the Liberal Party was held in Helsinki. Liberaalipuolue . 22 May 2022 . fi.
  4. Web site: Yhdeksän puoluetta poistettu puoluerekisteristä . Vaalit.fi . Ministry of Justice . fi. 19 April 2023 . 19 April 2023.
  5. Web site: Liberaalipuolue – Vapaus valita on merkitty puoluerekisteriin . oikeusministerio.fi . Ministry of Justice . fi. 30 January 2024 . 8 June 2024.
  6. Web site: Viskipuolue merkittiin puoluerekisteriin – Nimenmuutos heti edessä. Whiskey Party registered – About to change name immediately. Jari. Pietiläinen. fi. Helsingin Uutiset. 18 March 2016. 5 June 2016.
  7. Web site: Kansallinen viskipuolue rekisteröitiin: ei aja kenenkään etua. National Whiskey Party registered: will not promote the interest of any particular group. Maaseudun Tulevaisuus. fi. 18 March 2016. Terhi. Pape-Mustonen. 5 June 2016.
  8. Web site: Suomeen on syntymässä uusi puolue – viskipuolueella koossa 5 000 kannattajakorttia . Finland to have a new political party – Whiskey Party has 5, 000 support cards. fi. . 2016-02-09 . 2016-02-05 .
  9. Web site: Ilmaista viinaa jakanut puolue aikoo haastaa nykymenon – vaihtaa myös nimeä. Party that handed out free alcohol wants to challenge status quo – will also change its name. fi. 18 March 2016. 5 June 2016. Helsingin Uutiset.
  10. Web site: Liberaalien pitkä tie puoluerekisteriin. Liberals' long way to be registered as a party. fi. Jasu. Setälä. 17 May 2016. 5 June 2016. Libero.
  11. Web site: Puoluerekisteriin himoitsee nyt moni poppoo – Viskipuolue pääsee pian pelikentille. Many groups desire to be registered – Whiskey Party to be out on the field soon. Länsiväylä. Jari. Pietiläinen. 7 January 2016. 5 June 2016.
  12. Web site: Puolue jakoi ilmaista viinaa puistossa Helsingissä . https://web.archive.org/web/20150216032806/http://www.iltasanomat.fi/kotimaa/art-1423975688340.html . dead . February 16, 2015 . Political party hands out free alcohol at a park in Helsinki . fi . . 2015-02-12 . 2016-02-05 .
  13. Web site: Kansallinen Viskipuolue puoluerekisteriin – 'Suomen tulevaisuus näyttää todella huolestuttavalta'. National Whiskey Party registered – "The future of Finland is very concerning". Jussi. Latvala. YleX. fi. 18 March 2016. 5 June 2016.
  14. Web site: Viskipuolue tarjosi ilmaista viskiä Oulussa – poliisilla ei huomauttamista. Whiskey Party served free whiskey in Oulu – the police have no complaints. fi. Kaleva. 21 November 2011. 5 June 2016.
  15. Web site: Thursday's papers: Children's home abuse, Whiskey Party starting, less sex for Finns. 11 February 2016. 5 June 2016. Yle.
  16. Web site: Viskipuolue merkittiin puoluerekisteriin. Annette. Blencowe. 18 March 2016. Whiskey Party was registed into the register of parties. Yle. fi. 5 June 2016.
  17. Web site: Viskipuolue sai 5300 kannattajakorttia kokoon. 10 February 2016. Turun Sanomat. fi. Whiskey Party gathers 5, 300 support cards. 5 June 2016. STT.
  18. Web site: Viskipuolue vaihtaa nimensä Liberaalipuolueeksi . Whiskey Party changes its name to Liberal Party . Suvi Hautanen . Verkkouutiset . 2016-05-16 . 2016-05-16 . fi.
  19. Web site: Viskipuolue jatkaakin viskipuolueena – epäonnistunutta nimenmuutosta juhlistetaan viskillä. 2016-05-19. Yle. fi. Whiskey Party to remain Whiskey Party after all publisher – failed renaming celebrated with whiskey. 2016-05-19.
  20. Web site: Viskipuolueen nimenvaihto meni puihin. Name change of Whiskey Party on the rocks. fi. Kaleva. STT. 19 May 2016. 5 June 2016.
  21. Web site: Viskipuolue muuttaa nimensä sittenkin – "Sanaan liberaali ei voi saada yksinoikeutta". fi. Yle. 22 June 2016. 19 August 2016.
  22. Web site: Viskipuolueen Kähärä: 'Sääntely minimiin ja Alkon monopoli alas'. Kärhä of Whiskey Party: "Regulation to the minimum and down with the monopoly of Alko". . 2016-04-06 . 2016-04-02 .
  23. Web site: 'Emme aja kenenkään etuja' – Suomessa on nyt yksi puolue lisää. "We do not promote anybody's interests" – Finland now has one more political party. fi. Demokraatti. 18 March 2016. 5 June 2016.
  24. Web site: European Elections 2019: Results: Whole country. Ministry of Justice. 7 December 2019.

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