The member of parliament made an emergency solution and “faked” the vote – This is how things started to go wrong in the parliament

MP Mikko Ollikainen (r) messed up on Wednesday when the parliament voted for another deputy speaker. MP Mikko Ollikainen pretended to vote by putting his hand in the urn. Eduskuntamarko-oskari.lehtonen@iltalehti.fiYesterday at 18:22 (edited yesterday at 19:06)

Elections for Speaker and Deputy Speakers were held in the Parliament on Wednesday.

President the elections of the elected Petteri Orpo and the first deputy speaker Juho Eerola went straight, but for the second deputy speaker Tarja Filatov, the parliament had to vote twice because there were tickets for the first at once one too few.

RKP MP for the second term Mikko Ollikainen tells Iltalehte that he is to blame for the fact that the vote had to be repeated on Wednesday.

The coalition's Petteri Orpo was elected temporary speaker of the parliament. Juho Eerola of Basic Finns became the first deputy speaker and Tarja Filatov of SDP became the second deputy speaker. PASI LIESIMAA

According to Ollikainen, he had written Filatov's name on the ticket, but accidentally took with him an envelope containing an invitation to the opening concert of the Diet at the Musiikkitalo.

– I had two notes on the table. One read Filatov and the other was an envelope with an invitation to tomorrow's opening concert of the Diet, Ollikainen tells IL.

– I accidentally took the envelope with me when I left my seat and went to stand in line to vote. I put it in my back pocket.

According to Ollikainen, he realized his mistake when the ballot could not be found in any pocket. In that moment, Ollikainen made a quick decision that he now regrets.

Ollikainen put his empty hand in the urn.

– At that moment I made the interpretation that it would basically be the same as voting absent, he justifies his decision.

So at the time of voting you decided to vote because you thought it would be the same as voting absent ?

note or write a new note in it.

Did it come as a surprise to you that the whole vote had to be renewed because of the episode?

– Of course I noticed it when the result was announced. I was not aware of this. But now I know how to act in the future.

Ollikainen says he is sorry that the vote had to be retaken because of him.

– The one who does it hurts. This means that the system works and the procedures are in order for future votes.

Demokraati and Yle previously reported on the matter, whose video also recorded the voting episode.

Mikko Ollikainen started his second term as a member of parliament. . JOEL MAISALMIT The second deputy speaker was voted for twice on Wednesday, when one ballot was missing from the urn. “Surprising and exceptional situation” in the Parliament: The ballot was lost, the vote was repeated on April 12. 14:06 The government nominations start on Friday – Orpo admits: “It could be a colorful election season” on April 12. 15:49