ELECTION CAMPAIGN IN THE CENTRE OF HELSINKI

Standing at a street-corner, talking with people, is a huge learning experience.

Most passers-by are very kind and don't ask much questions. Either they rush by or they stop for a minute, smile as a thank for a cup of coffee, grasp a brochure and hurry onwards. But some take the opportunity to bring up an issue that they have on their mind.

The absolute majority of people that I've talked with worry about the situation of the elderly and the retired: The tram or bus ticket is too expensive, even if it would mean a lot to leave the solitude of their apartment, to be able to come downtown, walk around and feel part of the city. The pension is far too small and it gets relatively smaller every year. The family members that take care of their handicapped or sick relatives are exhausted and get no help and support. There is not enough rental housing, and the rents are too high.

A man was frustrated about the position of someone who has bought a new apartment. The client has to pay for the home in advance, but once the construction company has left, it is almost impossible to make it fix anything that is not correct or properly done. A private person is far too weak a party to fight with a big developer with its professional lawyers. The man suggested that the public sector should allow free trials for private people who have to take their complaints to court.

Finland is a rich country and Helsinki is a wealthy capital. We call and consider ourselves a welfare society with universal social services. But also in the city centre, in front of the most expensive department store, there is a constant flow of people - mostly men - who don't even try to hide the fact that they have dropped outside of the societal order. With shaky hands, they take the cup of coffee, put a lot of sugar and milk into it, fill their pockets with cookies and candy, and come by the next day, again. I was watching a tired man, who was afraid to take cookies: can I take them with my dirty hands, he asked. Of course he could, his hands were not more dirty than mine.