Savonlinna city council votes to officially raise Pride flag during upcoming celebration

The city of Savonlinna will now officially fly the Pride flag during the city’s Pride celebration, following a decision by the city council on Monday. The vote passed with a narrow majority of 6 to 5. Sanna Väisänen proposed that Savonlinna display the Pride flag on September 14, during the designated Pride event, using a flag donated to the city. Eija Stenberg suggested that the Pride flag should be raised annually on the city hall’s official flagpole at the time announced by the event organizers.

During the voting, those in favor of the proposal included Juha Kukkonen, Jarmo Tiainen, Lea Kokko, Kirsi Laamanen, and Tuukka Suomalainen. Meanwhile, Sanna Metsälä, Pekka Kilpeläinen, Sanna Väisänen, Panu Peitsaro, Eija Stenberg, and Aila Makkonen supported the Pride flag raising.

The decision to fly the Pride flag is controversial in Savonlinna. In 2022, the city reported a group of activists for unauthorized flag-raising after they lowered the Finnish flag from the city hall’s flagpole and replaced it with a rainbow flag. Lowering the national flag without permission is illegal in Finland.

In 2019, the city council decided that Savonlinna would only follow general flag guidelines, flying the Finnish flag and the flags of visiting foreign dignitaries. This decision was justified on the grounds of equality and consistency.

Juha Kukkonen expressed his dissenting opinion during Monday’s meeting, arguing that the decision unfairly elevates one group over others, while other groups can raise flags at their own expense. He referenced 16th-century guidelines emphasizing that what is not just or fair cannot be lawful.

Several cities and municipalities in Finland fly the Pride flag during their own Pride events.