After the Kauhajoki school shooting in September 2008 Holmlund came under considerable pressure from some members of parliament, particularly those in the Left Alliance, to quit for failing to change legislation in order to prevent the shooting. A similar event in Jokela had taken place barely a year earlier. Leading the call for her deposition was Anneli Lapintie; Tarja Filatov, parliamentary group leader of the opposition Social Democratic Party of Finland (SDP) also questioned the government over what it had done since the Jokela incident. Minister of Finance Jyrki Katainen issued his full support to Holmlund. A survey by pollster Taloustutkimus for YLE showed that dissension towards Holmlund was not widespread: only a quarter of members from smaller parties felt she should step down, only 10% of SDP members (with 80% supporting her to stay on), and 90% of the government's partners wanted her to hold on to her ministry. Amongst the population, 82% felt she should continue. Holmlund herself stated at a news conference that resignation "would be tantamount to desertion".