Finland's Prime Minister Sanna Marin has conceded defeat in the country's parliamentary election, marking a significant shift for her left-wing government. The opposition National Coalition Party (NCP), led by Petteri Orpo, has claimed victory, with their leader vowing to "fix Finland" and its economy.
The NCP won 48 seats in parliament, narrowly ahead of the nationalist Finns Party with 46 seats, while Marin's Social Democrats secured 43 seats. The results show a significant increase for the NCP, which had been polling behind Marin's party but maintained a narrow lead over the Finns Party in recent months.
Orpo has promised to curb spending and stop the rise of public debt, which has reached just over 70% of GDP since Marin took office in 2019. He will now get the first chance at forming a coalition to obtain a majority in parliament.
Marin's government has faced criticism for its handling of several issues, including her partying lifestyle and the high level of public spending. The Prime Minister herself acknowledged that while she has gained support and seats in parliament, it was not enough to secure victory.
The NCP's victory marks a significant shift to the right in Finnish politics, with Orpo vowing to address the country's economic woes. Marin's government, on the other hand, will continue to govern under the condition of coalition talks with the NCP.
Marin's tenure as Prime Minister has been marked by several notable foreign policy actions, including her push for NATO membership following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The process is now almost complete, with Helsinki expected to join within days after all Western defense alliance members approved the accession.
As Finland's youngest ever Prime Minister when she took office in 2019, Marin remains a popular figure among many Finns, particularly young moderates. However, her government has faced criticism for its handling of sensitive issues, including immigration and public spending.
The NCP won 48 seats in parliament, narrowly ahead of the nationalist Finns Party with 46 seats, while Marin's Social Democrats secured 43 seats. The results show a significant increase for the NCP, which had been polling behind Marin's party but maintained a narrow lead over the Finns Party in recent months.
Orpo has promised to curb spending and stop the rise of public debt, which has reached just over 70% of GDP since Marin took office in 2019. He will now get the first chance at forming a coalition to obtain a majority in parliament.
Marin's government has faced criticism for its handling of several issues, including her partying lifestyle and the high level of public spending. The Prime Minister herself acknowledged that while she has gained support and seats in parliament, it was not enough to secure victory.
The NCP's victory marks a significant shift to the right in Finnish politics, with Orpo vowing to address the country's economic woes. Marin's government, on the other hand, will continue to govern under the condition of coalition talks with the NCP.
Marin's tenure as Prime Minister has been marked by several notable foreign policy actions, including her push for NATO membership following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The process is now almost complete, with Helsinki expected to join within days after all Western defense alliance members approved the accession.
As Finland's youngest ever Prime Minister when she took office in 2019, Marin remains a popular figure among many Finns, particularly young moderates. However, her government has faced criticism for its handling of sensitive issues, including immigration and public spending.
... looks like sanna marin's left wing gov is getting the boot 
. gotta say, not surprised though - those partying pics didn't exactly help her campaign 
. anyhoo, petteri orpo's in now and he's all about fixing the economy & curbing public debt 
. wonder how that'll go down with finns who love marin despite her gov's flaws 
. still, gotta give credit to marin for pushing through nato membership - not an easy feat 
. guess we'll just have to wait and see how orpo does as pm 
. But at the same time, I'm a bit worried about how this shift to the right will affect immigration policies in Finland... I know Marin's government was criticized for its handling of this topic, but I think it's super important that they prioritize inclusivity and diversity 
.
Orpo wants to curb it, which could have some positive effects on the economy, but might also affect social services and welfare programs. It'll be interesting to see how he balances his promise to "fix Finland" with the needs of all Finns 
.
. Marin's party has done some good stuff but the Finns Party's not as bad as people make them out to be either 
. NATO membership was a big deal & I think most Finns were on board with that 
. But, I guess you can't win 'em all 
.
. Either way, it'll be interesting to see how things play out in the next few months 
I'm not surprised though, the NCP had been gaining ground and the Finns Party was getting stronger too 
Petteri Orpo's promise to "fix" Finland's economy is interesting, but we'll have to see how he does it 
about that partying lifestyle tho, maybe she was just trying to unwind 
anyway, it's gonna be an interesting few months in Finnish politics 
. Orpo's got his work cut out for him tho, trying to "fix Finland" on a budget is gonna be a tough pill to swallow 
. On the bright side, NATO membership is finally happening 
! The country's gonna be stronger and safer under Finland's leadership 
. Time to see what Orpo's got cooking in the kitchen 
!
(no offense to her or anything...). Anyway, I guess it's all about stability now and keeping Finland afloat until whoever comes next can figure out what's really going on.
. But, it seems like the Finnish people just weren't vibin' with her party's handling of public spending and immigration issues 
! I was out for a walk and saw this guy with a ridiculously long beard that reached his chest 
.
anyway marin's party lost and she's not happy about it. seems like they were worried about public debt and stuff, so orpo's all like "i'm gonna cut spending". hope that helps or whatever... 
but i guess not enough to keep those seats 
. wonder what's gonna happen with her party now? and orpo's promise to 'fix finland' sounds a bit ambitious, hope he can deliver 
, Finland can't keep going like this with 70% of GDP as public debt 
I'm not sure if it'll make a huge difference but at least he's trying. And on the bright side, maybe this will bring some fresh ideas to Finnish politics 
. anyway, looks like ncp's gonna try their hand at formmin a coalition now