SDP Also Involved in Fishy Foundation Funding?
Image: YLE uutisgrafiikka
The Social Democratic Party has received campaign funding in violation of funding regulations, reports YLE's Swedish-language news. President Tarja Halonen was apparently one of the candidates that benefitted from the funds.
YLE revealed that the Sports Education Foundation (Urheiluopistosäätiö) supported Halonen's campaign through expensive art purchases. The same was done for SDP Euro-Parliament candidate Jani Sievinen.
SDP chair Jutta Urpilainen says that no rules were violated, since the Foundation receives no state support. Urpilainen says the Foundation did buy around ten thousand euros' worth of art, but that this was disclosed when the party made public its party funding sources.
Did President Halonen receive illegal campaign funds?
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YLE
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The foundation has a two-tiered deciding body, with a delegation overseeing a
board of directors. Former SDP premier Paavo Lipponen is serving as the
chairman of the delegation, while the chairman of the board is none other
than Markku Pohjola, who was Sievinen's campaign manager.
Social Democratic MP Eero Heinäluoma as well as former SDP MP Arto Bryggare also serve on the delegation.
The charter of the Sports Education Foundation forbids it from financially backing political campaigns. Its purpose, as its name implies, is stated as supporting sports education and other exercise initiatives.
Click here to read a straightforward background of the whole campaign finance debacle.
YLE