EU elections in Finland to hit an all time low?

While we in Finland managed to motivate ourselves to break the 40% mark in the EU elections of 2004 (41.1%), we are seeing possibly the worst, most uninspiring and obscure candidate line-up in the history of the elections. The best-known candidate even says he'll only stay in Strassbourg for a maximum of two years (Soini's blog in bad Finnish). The major parties have had trouble filling the candidate lists by the deadlines, and the layman will just have to wonder why should he be interested in the election if even the candidates are reluctant.

In 1999, we dipped almost to 30% (or 31.4% to be exact), but I wouldn't be surprised if the general voting percentage figure started with the number two in 2009. It may in fact be Soini's massive prospective protest vote that will push the voter activity in Finland over the watermark.

Here's the historical tables in Finnish.

EDIT: Jyrki Katainen of Kokoomus forecasts 50% activity, and the general buzz over the election has increased during the last two weeks before the election. Maybe we won't fare badly. Maybe the odd lists have in fact challenged people to find a candidate they could endorse. Let's wait til Sunday.