In discussions about the form of government in Finland, some people suspected Mannerheim of taking the side of monarchists and even harbouring ideas of assuming the power himself.

In his speech to the Senate in the Great Parade on 16 May, 1918, Mannerheim said, among other things:

"The army considers it their duty to openly state their wish that there will be guarantees to avoid the recurrence of those conditions (conditions leading to the Civil War), by creating a form of society and government that will forever protect us from a similar period of terror that our country has just escaped. The army regards as the only guarantee that the navigation of the state ship of Finland is entrusted in firm hands, which cannot be touched by party disputes and need not submit to compromises, sell power at bargain prices."

The statement caused strong repercussions in the press. It was interpreted as an opinion in favour of monarchy and against the parliamentary form of government. Mannerheim was suspected of attempting a coup d´etat with the help of the army, but there is no real proof of any plans of this type, although the unsatisfied monarchists wanted to use the defects of the army as weapons in the battle for the form of government.