Prime Minister Sanna Marin’s hopes for re-election have been dashed as Finland’s main conservative party takes the lead in a closely fought election.
Finland’s main conservative party has claimed victory in a closely fought parliamentary election.
Of all votes counted on Sunday, the center-right National Coalition Party (NCP) led with 20.8 percent. They were followed by the right-wing populist party The Finns with 20.1 percent, while Prime Minister Santa Marin’s Social Democrats got 19.9 percent.
With the top three parties getting around 20 percent of the vote, no party is in a position to form a government on its own. More than 2,400 candidates from 22 parties are vying for 200 seats in the Nordic country’s parliament.
“We got the biggest mandate,” said NCP leader Petteri Orpo as he claimed victory, surrounded by supporters at a restaurant in the capital, Helsinki.
“Based on this result, talks about forming a new government in Finland will be started under the leadership of the National Coalition Party,” he said.
Marin, who at 37 is one of Europe’s youngest leaders, conceded defeat.
“Congratulations to the winner of the election, congratulations to the National Coalition Party, congratulations to the Finns Party. Democracy has spoken,” the prime minister said in a speech to party members.
“We got support, we got more seats [in parliament]. That’s an excellent achievement, even if we didn’t finish today,” she added.
Marin, regarded by fans around the world as a millennial role model for progressive new leaders, has received international praise for his vocal support of Ukraine and his prominent role, along with President Sauli Niinisto, in promoting for Finland’s successful application to join NATO.
But at home, he faces criticism for his partying and his government’s excessive spending, including on pensions and education.
The NCP, which has led the polls for nearly two years, has accused Marin of eroding the country’s economic stability at a time when Europe’s energy crisis, fueled by Russia’s war in Ukraine, has hit hard. in the country and the cost of living increased.
It has pledged to rein in spending and halt the rise in public debt, which has reached just over 70 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) since Marin took office in 2019.
Orpo, 53, told The Associated Press news agency on Sunday that Finland’s unity with Ukraine will remain strong during his tenure.
“Ukraine first: we stand with you, with you,” said the former finance minister at the NCP’s victory event. “We cannot accept this terrible war. And we will do everything necessary to help Ukraine, the Ukrainian people because they are fighting for us. It is clear.”
“And the message to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin is: leave Ukraine because you will lose,” Orpo said.
The NCP’s share of votes translates into 48 seats in the Eduskunta, Finland’s Parliament, while The Finns, a nationalist party that largely runs on an anti-immigration and anti-European Union agenda, is to gain 46 seats and the Social Democrats of Marin 43 seats respectively.
Observers say the result means a power shift in Finland’s political scene as the country is now likely to get a new centre-right government with a nationalist tone.
Talks to form the NCP-led government are expected to begin in the coming days with the aim of putting together a Cabinet that enjoys a majority in Parliament.
The NCP is open to cooperation with The Finns as the two parties largely share a vision of Finland’s economic development despite differences on climate policies and EU issues.
“I trust the Finnish tradition of negotiating with all parties, and trying to find the best possible majority government for Finland,” Orpo told the AP.
“And you know what is important for us? It is because we are an active member of the European Union. We are developing NATO-Finland, and we are fixing our economy. We are strengthening our economy and creating new jobs. These are the crucial, basic, important issues that we should write in the government’s program,” he said.
