Subject organisations to Victory in HYY Elections

Press Release, 19 October 2011 / the Student Union of the University of Helsinki

The subject organisations strengthened their position in the Representative Council of the Student Union of the University of Helsinki. The electoral alliance of subject organisations HYAL received 21 seats. In addition to HYAL, HELP (the groups of medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine and law students as well as Tsemppi Group of international students) also increased its number of seats.  They now have 10 seats. Keskeiset was the only political group who improved their position and have now two seats.

The Student Nations (Osakunnat) lost two seats and now have 10. HYYn Vihreät, KD-Opiskelijat and Svenska Nationer och Ämnesföreningar  SNÄf  lost one seat each. Independent Left, Leijonat and Opiskelijademarit maintained their seats.

9 687 students out of the 28.000 students of the University of Helsinki voted in the elections. The turnout percentage was 34.3. Two years ago, 35.2 per cents of the students voted which was the best since 1993 when the turnout percentage was 36.5. Despite the significant reduction in the number of candidates (980 candidates in the elections in 2009, 617 candidates in 2011), the turnout percentage remained on a fairly good level.

HYY’s Representative Council Elections were organised on 18-19 October as traditional ballot box elections on the four campuses of the University of Helsinki and additionally in the offices of the University of Helsinki in Lahti and Vaasa. Altogether 617 students ran as candidates. The Representative Council of 60 members is the highest decision-making body of the Student Union.

The preparatory election results are available on: http://s3.amazonaws.com/hyy-vaalit/tulos-alustava.txt (candidates marked with an asterisk were elected to the Representative Council).

The preparatory distribution of seats (change to the elections of 2009):
HYAL 21 (+3)
Osakuntien suuri vaalirengas: 10 (-2)
Maailmanpyörä / Sitoutumaton vasemmisto – Obunden vänster – Independent Left: 6 (-) Maailmanpyörä / HYY:n Vihreät: 5 (-1)
HELP: 10 (+2)
Oikea suunta/ Leijonat 1, 2 & 3: 3 (-)
Oikea suunta / Keskeiset: 2 (+1)
Oikea suunta/ KD-opiskelijat: 0 (-1)
Opiskelijademarit (Socialdemocratic students):1 (-)
Svenska Nationer och Ämnesföreningar  SNÄf: 2 (-1)
Liberaalinen vaaliliitto: 0
Piraatit: 0
Perussuomalainen vaaliliitto (The Finns Party): 0

The Central Board of Elections will confirm the official election results after the vote count audit on 27 October.  The term for the new Representative Council will begin on 1 December 2011. This time, the electoral term of the elected Representative Council is exceptionally only 1 year. This is to ensure that in the future the elections will not be arranged in the same year as the University’s administrative elections.

Further information:
Secretary General Katariina Styrman, tel. 0400 816 426, paasihteeri(at)hyy.fi

Chairperson of the Central Board of Elections Maija Jäppinen, tel, 050 414 7986, maija.jappinen(at)helsinki.fi.

The National Union of University Students in Finland (SYL) will report about the national election results. Other student unions will arrange their elections later in the autumn.

HYY is a corporation consisting of students and subject to public law. It operates as a benefit, service and civic organisation for its members and as a central and service organisation for the approximately 250 organisations operating within it. The HYY Representative Council decides on the use of the Student Union’s property and its significant operational policies.
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