bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

sponsorType

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Tribune News Service

Voters in Finland handed Prime Minister Juha Sipila’s Centre Party a crushing defeat in parliamentary elections on Sunday, while the populist-nationalist Finns Party and left-leaning parties scored gains.
“It is clear that we have lost and I want to congratulate those who won,” Sipila said, noting his party was “the biggest loser”.

Sipila’s centre-right coalition had in office pledged a major shake-up of the health and welfare system, a reform that has been debated for over a decade. The government’s plan failed to clear legislative hurdles.
Austerity measures that affected pensioners, students and the unemployed also weighed on the ruling coalition’s support.
Preliminary results suggested Sipila’s party lost 18 seats to finish on 31 in the 200-seat legislature.
The Finns Party and the Social Democrats were in a tight race for first place. With just over 98 per cent of the vote counted, both parties were just under 18 per cent.
With 40 seats, a gain of six, the Social Democrats and its leader Antti Rinne were tipped to get their first attempt to form a government.
The Social Democrats last held the prime minister post in 2003.
“Of course I wanted a better result, I would have liked our result to be at least 20% or more. But with this result we can lead the Finnish people towards a better future,” Rinne said.
“We are open to cooperation but not at any cost,” said Finns Party leader Jussi Halla-aho who has led the party since 2017.

Soon after he took the helm, the Finns Party split and the faction led by Halla-aho, known for his hardline anti-immigration stance, left the Sipila government and went into opposition.
Halla-aho noted on Sunday that other European parties with a similar stance, like the Danish People’s Party, have been able to influence government programmes even outside government.
Halla-aho has formed an alliance for the upcoming European Parliament elections with among others the Danish People’s Party and Italy’s League party led by Italy’s deputy premier and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini.
Salvini tweeted: “The ‘populist friends of the Finns party have become Finland’s second party!!! On May 26, together with the League, we are changing Europe at last!”
In his campaign, Halla-aho voiced doubts about whether Finland needs to do more to tackle climate change, citing the country’s relatively small population of 5.5 million.
Climate change was listed as an important election issue, especially among younger voters. The other main parties have said bipartisan agreements are needed.
Conservative leader Petteri Orpo, finance minister in the outgoing government, said his party had “come from behind” and bucked opinion polls.
“We fought and won. As long as we have that one extra seat we can call ourselves winners,” he told party supporters of the party’s projected 38 seats. “But let me assure to you my friends that the conservatives will not enter any government that does not support our values.”
A breakaway faction from the Finns Party, Blue Reform, that remained in the Sipila government failed to win any seats.
The Greens were projected to win 20 seats, adding five seats to their previous tally. The Left Alliance was on track to win four seats, finishing on 16.
In July, Finland takes over the rotating EU presidency from Romania.
Turnout was 72 per cent among the 4.5 million people eligible to vote.


When in doubt, EU leaders dig an even bigger hole

China lifted sanctions on British lawmakers after Starmer–Xi meeting, UK says

Spain arrests Chinese hair salon owner for funding Hamas via crypto

Israel offers ‘limited’ Rafah reopening on Sunday after nearly 2-year Gaza border shutdown

European Union

Finnish Social Democrats declare razor-thin election win over far-right Finns Party

Chairman of the Finnish Social Democratic Party Antti Rinne (centre) his wife Heta Ravolainen-Rinne (left) and Party Secretary Antton Rönnholm (second from right) at their election party in Helsinki. Photo: Agence France-Presse

epa07507364 True Finns Party leader Jussi Halla-aho (L) and Social Democratic Party leader Antti Rinne (R) attend the parliamentary election night media event at the Annex to the Parliament Building in Helsinki, Finland, 14 April 2019. According to reports, partial results of the Finland's general election showed the Social Democratic Party winning by a tight margin with 17.8 percent. The nationalist Finns Party was in second place with 17.6 percent, after more than 97 percent of votes were counted. EPA-EFE/JARNO KUUSINEN

Chairman of the Finnish Social Democratic Party Antti Rinne at the Party's election party in Helsinki, Finland on Sunday, April 14, 2019. (Antti Aimo-Koivisto/Lehtikuva via AP)

Voting begins in Finland's 'anti-austerity election'

Advance votes for the Finnish parliamentary elections are counted on April 14 at a polling station in Helsinki. Photo: AFP

FILE PHOTO: Social Democratic Party Chairman Antti Rinne attends parliamentary elections debate arranged by MTV in Helsinki, Finland April 10, 2019. Picture taken April 10,2019. Lehtikuva/Antti Aimo-Koivisto via REUTERS/File Photo ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO THIRD PARTY SALES. NOT FOR USE BY REUTERS THIRD PARTY DISTRIBUTORS. FINLAND OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN FINLAND.

Chairman of the Finns Party and parliamentary candidate Jussi Halla-aho votes in the parliamentary elections, in Helsinki, Finland, April 14, 2019. Emmi Korhonen/Lehtikuva/via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO THIRD PARTY SALES. NOT FOR USE BY REUTERS THIRD PARTY DISTRIBUTORS. FINLAND OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN FINLAND.

Finland’s government resigns over failed reform package

President of Finland Sauli Niinisto and Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipila, who announced his government's resignation, shake hands at the president's official residence, Mantyniemi, in Helsinki, Finland March 8, 2019. Lehtikuva/Heikki Saukkomaa via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. FINLAND OUT. NO THIRD PARTY SALES.

Finland’s Prime Minister Juha Sipila at a news conference in Riga, Latvia on March 7, 2019. Photo: Reuters

Finnish Social Democrats declare razor-thin election win over far-right Finns Party

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;}Social Democratic Party, led by Antti Rinne, wins by just 0.2 per cent

Social Democratic Party, led by Antti Rinne, wins by just 0.2 per cent