by Irene Soave
Centre-Right, Sovereignists and Social Democrats divided by a few decimal places: no one can govern alone. Petteri Orpo (middle right): It’s up to us to lead the consultations
FROM OUR REPORTER
HELSINKI – There is music, but nobody dances. The bartender stares into space and promises particularly charged cocktails; while waiting for Sanna Marin to arrive to ritually thank the base, state television Yle goes on the screens and the social democratic fighters must also see the blond bob of Riikka Purra rejoicing: we are a great alternative to the old System. Fasisti, it blurts out, in Finnish it sounds Emily.
Black mood at the Presidentti Hotel, a Soviet high-rise built for the 1980 Moscow Olympics, where outgoing Prime Minister Sanna Marin’s Social Democrats ended the election campaign by learning before midnight that the Finns had given them an uncomfortable third place in the elections had bestowed . 19.9% of the votes, 43 deputies.
On the other hand, there’s dancing and laughing at the Apollo Club and trendy Botta, brand new venues where the Finns, Nationalists and Sovereignists and Petteri Orpo’s National Coalition Party celebrate. He has 20.8% of the vote and 48 seats in Parliament. On the basis of this result, talks about the formation of a new government in Finland led by the National Coalition Party would start, he was happy about the even completed count. The sovereign Riikka Purra is a candidate with 20.1% of the vote and 46 seats, becoming her first ally and pushing Marin into opposition.
The outgoing prime minister, who reiterated throughout the evening that she had a good feeling, then conceded victory for the centre-right and said she was available for a coalition. My party has gained support, so I’m happy as a leader. Another satisfaction that is silent: their preferences, 34,500, place them second (after Riikka Purra) in the ranking of the most voted votes. Orpo not even on the podium; nevertheless he will deal the cards.
Early observations from analysts and commentators seem to point to a Stockholm model. In September, the Sweden Democrats, the sovereign heirs to the neo-Nazis, wrested government from Social Democrat Magdalena Andersson and formed a coalition government with the moderates. There is also a Finnish political tradition: only twice has a prime minister been confirmed by the polls.
Now the deliberations begin. Officially, the prime minister-designate has to start on April 17; From tonight, however, the Sherpas are feverishly at work. The question everyone is asking is: which of the two rivals does the courted Petteri Orpo intend to ally with in order to achieve the sum of at least 101 seats in Parliament that is essential for governing?
The political affinities seem to indicate Sanna Marin’s social democrats: pro-Europeans like Orpo, while the Finns are not in favor of a rigid climate agenda, but in favor of an immigration plan that closes the labor force gap in the second oldest country in Europe, which is missing 2-300,000 jobs, particularly in healthcare sector. The Finns were part of the election campaign against foreign nurses who “don’t even speak our language”.
However, from the first explanations after the results, Orpo seemed to be leaning towards the opposite side. There are no far-right parties in Finland, he replied, for example, to a journalist who asked him whether a coalition with the Finns would damage the country’s image. The basic premise is to set Finland straight. Starting with its economy. Subject where Orpo is on a collision course with Marin, custodian of the generous Nordic-style welfare state.
It’s not up to me to decide who to team up with, Riikka Purra protested last night in the last press round. The barb was aimed at Marin, who had instead ruled out a priori allying with the sovereigns. The deliberations are like the scene of a TV debate that dominated the entire election campaign: Purra and Marin yell at each other, Orpo watches them mischievously in the background, certain that he will win.
April 3, 2023 (Modification April 3, 2023 | 07:30)
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