Finland’s conservative National Coalition (NCP) party, which emerged as the winner in the parliamentary election held in April, has successfully formed a majority government with the eurosceptic and anti-immigration Finns Party, along with two smaller groups. This significant development was announced by NCP leader Petteri Orpo on Thursday, signalling a shift towards the right in Finnish politics and pushing left-wing Prime Minister Sanna Marin’s government into opposition.
Orpo expressed satisfaction with the outcome, stating, “All issues have been resolved and the papers are ready,” referring to the government program that has been agreed upon. The NCP leader, known for his fiscal conservative stance, is poised to become Finland’s next prime minister as a result of this coalition formation.
Negotiations took 11 weeks to complete
Over the course of 11 weeks, negotiations took place to determine how Finland would be governed for the next four years. The Finns Party and the Swedish People’s Party, which represent minority-language speakers, faced challenges in finding common ground on key issues such as immigration, climate policy, and public finances. However, after intensive discussions, a compromise was reached, enabling the formation of the coalition government.
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Orpo’s government is expected to prioritise measures aimed at reducing the fiscal deficit, which includes cuts to unemployment and welfare benefits. Additionally, there will likely be a tightening of immigration policies while environmental commitments are relaxed. Although the exact details of each policy area remain unclear, as they were subject to rigorous negotiations, it is evident that this right-wing coalition will bring significant changes to Finland’s governance.
A glance at the results of April general elections
One of Orpo’s objectives has been to lower taxes and divest government-controlled company holdings, but he refrained from providing further details at this time. The National Coalition Party secured 48 seats in the April 2 election, slightly ahead of the Finns Party with 46 seats. The Social Democrats, led by outgoing Prime Minister Sanna Marin, came in third with 43 elected members in the 200-seat parliament.
In order to secure a majority, Orpo included the Swedish People’s Party, which holds nine seats, and the Christian Democrats with five seats, bringing the total support for the government to 108 seats.
