Kun huipulla tuulee : SDP:n, keskustan ja kokoomuksen puheenjohtajavaihdokset 1987-2010

Författare

• Mari K. Niemi

Abstract

In this article, the focus is on the successions of the party leaders of the Social Democratic Party, the National Coalition Party and the Centre Party. Studying the changes of leadership reveals differences in the leadership culture: the Centre Party’s leaders have enjoyed the longest periods of ascendancy whereas Social Democratic leader positions have been most turbulent. While the tenures of the leaders and the competitiveness of their elections are somewhat simple to sort out, the party leaders’ abdications are more challenging. Firstly, there may have been several factors undermining the leader’s authority before the resignation. Reasons for resignation are also not necessarily complementary. Secondly, the background of the decision to exit sometimes remains hidden from public. Therefore, resignations need to be examined with more subtlety as they do not always fit elegantly into a table format.