Speaking at an event to commemorate the 110th birthday of Urho Kekkonen, Finland's president from 1956-1982, President Tarja Halonen emphasised the need for consistency in Finnish politics.

In her speech about the relationship between Finland and Russia, the President noted that relations continue to be good. However, her emphasis on consistency can be interpreted as a comment on the recent Russia debate.

Halonen also commented on the tightening of presidential powers, and bringing up what the public appears to want. She evaluated that Kekkonen continues to have an effect on Finland. These comments can be interpreted to suggest that the vast majority of the public would support keeping presidential powers rather than limiting them further. According to Halonen, only the "political elite" want to reduce the president's powers.

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The Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE) is to stop hosting its traditional Election Nights festivities, Finnish weekly Suomen Kuvalehti reported on Friday.

The political parties have informed YLE that they do not intend to attend the Election Night for the upcoming general election in April.

Mikael Jungner, party secretary for the Social Democratic party, confirmed that the Election Night festivities are no longer to be held by YLE.

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Mari Kiviniemi, Centre Party leader and Finland's prime minister, is not to stand as a candidate for the 2012 presidential elections, regional papers reported on Friday.

According to Kiviniemi, the party is looking for a candidate from outside the current party leadership.

Centre is to support the other centre-right candidate if their own candidate does not make it to the second stage of the presidential election, Kiviniemi continued.

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Jyrki Katiainen (cons), Finland's finance minister, has cancelled his visit to Maputo in Mozambique, according to a statement on Thursday by his special adviser Juha Kirstilä.

The minister was forced to delay his visit on Wednesday due to the restless situation.

Having received confirmation that he is not to enter Mozambique during the coming days, Katainen is now to return to Finland a day earlier than scheduled, on Friday.

Katainen was scheduled to meet with the finance minister and the deputy minister for foreign affairs and cooperation of Mozambique.

The restless situation was sparked by public outrage at the rising prices of food and fuels. The situation is acute in the capital city Maputo.

The finance minister traveled to southern Africa on Sunday.

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Flushed with ratings success, the True Finns have listed their priorities for a future government.

TIMO SOINI, the chair of the right-wing True Finns, was not shy when listing his party's aims for the outcome of next spring's parliamentary elections. Commenting on 30 August, Soini confirmed that the True Finns wanted a place in government. And while they have a bunch of key priorities, they will not rule out an offer on the basis of a single issue.

Gathered in Porvoo's market square, Soini and his fellow True Finns MPs were evidently basking in the political sunshine: according to a Gallup poll released on 27 August by the Finnish Broadcasting Corporation (YLE), the True Finns have slightly strengthened their position as the fourth most popular party.

Jyri Häkämies, Finland's minister of defence, is to visit Örebro in Sweden on Wednesday and Thursday to discuss security matters, according to a statement by the ministry of defence on Thursday.

Häkämies is to meet Swedish Minister of Defence Sten Tolgfors to discuss current operation in Afghanistan, regional security issues and current EU CSDP matters, as well as to acquaint himself with the Swedish defence industry.

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Jyrki Katainen (cons), Finland's finance minister, told that he is ashamed of the level of the Russia debate in Finland, according to reports in regional daily Savon Sanomat on Wednesday.

Katainen admitted that his recent statement that the Russian economy was the same size as that of Holland was a mistake, but he regrets that the matter spiralled into a scandal, according to the paper.

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