Finnish parliament to vote on controversial conversion law amidst political tension and anticipated close results

The Finnish parliament will vote on the so-called conversion law on Friday. Prior to the crucial vote, the SDP parliamentary group will convene to discuss requests from six members of parliament to vote against the conversion law. The group meeting will take place at 10 am, and the full parliamentary session will commence at 12 pm. Time has been set aside for discussion before the vote on the law.

The conversion law is intended to be enacted as an emergency law. As it involves a limited exception to the constitution, the law must first be declared urgent by a five-sixths majority of the parliament. Only yes and no votes are counted in the voting, not abstentions.

After this, the law must be approved by a two-thirds majority of the votes cast. The first vote, the declaration of urgency, is anticipated to be very close. Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen and Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen had to leave the NATO summit in Washington D.C. to participate in the vote.

Out of the 200 MPs, the speaker does not vote. Annika Saarikko, who views the law positively, has announced that she will be absent from the vote as she gave birth on Thursday. If all MPs, except Saarikko, are present, the bill cannot be declared urgent if 34 MPs vote against it.

Hilkka Kemppi and Eveliina Heinäluoma, both in the late stages of pregnancy, also plan to vote. Kemppi has stated she will vote for the law unless she is in labour, while Heinäluoma is expected to vote in favour.

The SDP supports the conversion law, but six party MPs plan to vote against it. The party will decide in their group meeting whether to grant MPs permission to vote contrary to the party line. The Green Party and the Left Alliance are expected to vote against the law. Also, RKP MP Eva Biaudet has announced her opposition to the law. If all these representatives vote against it, there will already be 31 MPs in opposition.

Mauri Peltokangas, the chairman of the administrative committee, who was hospitalized earlier this week, has stated that he will vote for the law if he is “on his feet.”

If the law does not gain a five-sixths majority and is not declared urgent, parliament will vote on whether to defer the bill until after the elections or reject the proposal. The decision is made by a majority of votes.