Although she will not stand for re-election as party chair, Kiviniemi defended her record.
“In my opinion, the Centre party has done very good work in opposition last autumn and this spring, in both style and substance,” said Kiviniemi. “I expected that this would be visible in a rise in support in the polls. But if that doesn’t happen, it should be posible to draw conclusions.”
She added that she believes the party is strong, but can only succeed when the leadership enjoys absolute support.
“The message from the field is that somebody should take responsibility for the defeat,” said Kiviniemi. “Party work demands a lot from others, but most of all from myself. Although I am also of the opinion that the defeat was the result of many factors, in reality the final responsibility rests with the party chair.”
The former prime minister was strongly criticised by party heavyweight Paavo Väyrynen on Saturday. Väyrynen has announced that he will stand in leadership elections due this summer, following his strong showing in presidential elections earlier this year.
In an Yle interview, Kiviniemi denied that Väyrynen's criticism had anything to do with her decision. She said that the decision was based purely on what is best for the party, with no personal factors involved.
There are only two declared candidates for the job, Mauri Pekkarinen and Paavo Väyrynen. Pekkarinen told Yle that Kiviniemi's decision had come as a shock, but that he expected other candidates to come forward.