Former First Minister Henrikki Laine to Make Campaign Announcement
Sylvi Uljas
29 July 2020
Former First Minister Henrikki Laine is exoected to make a major campaign announcement later today. Speculation has run rampant as to what the announcement might be. With many going as far to say that the disgraced Laine might be gearing up to run again for his old Rep seat. Political pundints say this is more likely then not as Laine's approval rating among older Storsnians and hardline KPP members was very high before leaving office. However, it's unlikely Laine runs on the KPP ticket after publicly leaving the party upon his resignation. If Laine does intend to run it's expected he'll do so as an independent as the only other party with similar views, Unioin, has banned him from joining. In the past it has been very difficult for candidates to win elections on independent lines especially in eastern districts. His chances of winning are even lower given his tenure as First Minister.
To recap, Henrikki Laine served as First Minister from 2015 to 2017, and as KPP party leader from 2008 to 2017. During his tenure as First Minister, Laine purposed several bills aimed at expanding the size of the defence forces, increasing trade of natural resources to the international community, and attempted to rollback several reforms passed by the previous Unioin administration. One of these reforms was the Oil and Gas Extraction Act of 2014. Included in the Oil and Gas Extraction Act was provisions for introducing a proportional tax increase on land owned and used by large oil and natural gas companies as well as making these same companies submit to extensive environmental reviews before further developing land owned or used by said companies. Another portion of the act was implementing a carbon tax on oil and gas refining plants to be used for environmental projects in order to help offset carbon emissions.
In June of 2017 the Farsund Post received information from an undisclosed source close to the First Minister implicating him in an extensive bribery and lobbying scandal. The evidence included photographs of the Laine meeting with high level corporate individuals from oil and gas companies from both Storsnia and beyond. Among these photographs was a video recording of a conversation between Laine and several corporate individuals at a meeting in a secret location in southern Storsnia. On 1 July, 2017 the Farsund Post along with their internet counterpart published a story revealing this information to the public. Widespread protests began calling for Laine’s removal from office and a subsequent snap election. On 10 July, the Chamber of Representatives began to draft a bill calling for a special referendum to recall First Minister Laine. On 11 July another story was published in the Nilsiä Ledger accusing Laine of being unfaithful towards his wife and engaging in activities with other women. On 12 July First Minister Laine tendered his resignation to the Chamber of Representatives and later that day Deputy First Minister Eino Koponen, grandfather to current KPP leader, became First Minister. Koponen’s first act was call for a snap election to be held on 15 November 2017.
Following his resignation Henrikki Laine fell out of the public’s eye for several months until his very public divorce with his now ex-wife Irina Laine. Since his divorce Laine has been reportedly living on his own and working for North Star Oil and Gas company as a political analyst.
While a Laine bid for representative might come as a shock to some people and be meet with protests. Experienced political analysts suggest that the chances of Laine winning are very low and that this may just be an attempt to grab the public’s attention one last time with an endorsement to another candidate. However, can an endorsement from Laine even help?
To recap, Henrikki Laine served as First Minister from 2015 to 2017, and as KPP party leader from 2008 to 2017. During his tenure as First Minister, Laine purposed several bills aimed at expanding the size of the defence forces, increasing trade of natural resources to the international community, and attempted to rollback several reforms passed by the previous Unioin administration. One of these reforms was the Oil and Gas Extraction Act of 2014. Included in the Oil and Gas Extraction Act was provisions for introducing a proportional tax increase on land owned and used by large oil and natural gas companies as well as making these same companies submit to extensive environmental reviews before further developing land owned or used by said companies. Another portion of the act was implementing a carbon tax on oil and gas refining plants to be used for environmental projects in order to help offset carbon emissions.
In June of 2017 the Farsund Post received information from an undisclosed source close to the First Minister implicating him in an extensive bribery and lobbying scandal. The evidence included photographs of the Laine meeting with high level corporate individuals from oil and gas companies from both Storsnia and beyond. Among these photographs was a video recording of a conversation between Laine and several corporate individuals at a meeting in a secret location in southern Storsnia. On 1 July, 2017 the Farsund Post along with their internet counterpart published a story revealing this information to the public. Widespread protests began calling for Laine’s removal from office and a subsequent snap election. On 10 July, the Chamber of Representatives began to draft a bill calling for a special referendum to recall First Minister Laine. On 11 July another story was published in the Nilsiä Ledger accusing Laine of being unfaithful towards his wife and engaging in activities with other women. On 12 July First Minister Laine tendered his resignation to the Chamber of Representatives and later that day Deputy First Minister Eino Koponen, grandfather to current KPP leader, became First Minister. Koponen’s first act was call for a snap election to be held on 15 November 2017.
Following his resignation Henrikki Laine fell out of the public’s eye for several months until his very public divorce with his now ex-wife Irina Laine. Since his divorce Laine has been reportedly living on his own and working for North Star Oil and Gas company as a political analyst.
While a Laine bid for representative might come as a shock to some people and be meet with protests. Experienced political analysts suggest that the chances of Laine winning are very low and that this may just be an attempt to grab the public’s attention one last time with an endorsement to another candidate. However, can an endorsement from Laine even help?