Marin party only third: Conservatives win election in Finland

It was a close race, but in the end the Conservatives prevailed: The National Coalition Party won the Finnish parliamentary elections. Social Democrat Prime Minister Marin admitted defeat.

The conservative National Coalition Party came out on top in Finland’s parliamentary elections for the first time in twelve years. Despite gains, Prime Minister Sanna Marin’s Social Democrats only came in third, behind the Conservatives and the right-wing populist party The Finns.

After a preliminary count of all votes, the Conservatives received 20.8 percent of the votes and won 48 seats. The right-wing populists got 20.1 percent and 46 seats, the Social Democrats 19.9 percent and 43 seats.

Marin acknowledged the electoral defeat. “Congratulations to the election winner,” she said in a speech to supporters. “Democracy has spoken.”

At least three parties required for coalition

The leader of the Coalition Party, Petteri Orpo, is now being given the best chance of becoming the new Prime Minister of Finland and thus the successor to Marin, who has been in power since the end of 2019. However, at least three parties are needed for a majority in the 200-seat parliament. Marin has ruled with a five-party centre-left coalition.

Unlike the Social Democrats under Marin, the conservatives under Orpo have not ruled out cooperation with the right-wing populists. As the Finnish public broadcaster YLE reported, the coalition negotiations are likely to be difficult for Orpo. His party differs from the Social Democrats on budget policy and national debt, and from the right-wing populists on their attitude towards immigration and the EU.

Joining NATO is hardly an issue in the election campaign

Public finances played a particularly important role in the election campaign – critics accuse Marin of driving up public debt. During her tenure, the corona pandemic and the energy crisis after the Russian invasion of Ukraine fell. Finland’s NATO accession, which will be officially completed in a few days, was hardly an issue.