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.