The popularity of the young prime minister Sanna Marin is not enough for the Social Democrats, who lose the political elections in Finland.
Petteri Orpo, leader of the centre-right conservative coalition, claimed victory after two thirds of the ballots had been counted , but the narrow result does not bode well for the formation of the government coalition, also considering the various vetoes expressed in the campaign electoral by some forces.
According to current data, the Conservatives are first both as a percentage (20.5%) and as seats (48). The extreme right of populist Riikka Purra follows in second place (46 seats) while the Social Democrats of premier Sanna Marin are third (43 seats) .
Traditionally in Finland, at the outcome of the elections, with a proportional system and seats assigned for constituencies based on the population, the party with the most votes tries to form the government coalition and has indicated the prime minister since the 1990s. For the majority, 101 deputies are needed out of the 200 in parliament .
The vote divided the country between for and against cuts in welfare or austerity measures to reduce debt, in a context of skyrocketing inflation and fears of recession. All the parties of the coalition that supports the young prime minister lost votes on this polarization, with a debacle of the Greens and only the Center holding above expectations (12.5%), which will be decisive in the formation of a coalition in which even a MP makes a difference .
The 37-year-old Marin, well known abroad, very popular at home, thanks in part to exemplary management of the pandemic , moved the Social Democrats to the left in the electoral campaign, focusing on welfare and above all on education and saying she was against any spending cuts .
The Orpo coalition instead calls for austerity measures for 6 billion euros, to bring the public debt back to the virtuous values of the EU .
Riikka Pukka's True Finns instead express openly anti-migrant and Eurosceptic positions , starting with the request not to respect the commitment for climate neutrality in 2035, without denying the old long-term goal of 'Fixit', the exit of the Finland from the European Union.
(Unioneonline/L)
