The National Coalition Party (KOK), led by Petteri Orpo, came out ahead in the general elections held on 2 April in Finland. It won 20.82% of the vote and 48 seats in the Eduskunta/Riksdag, the single chamber of parliament, which is 10 more than in the previous general elections on 14 April 2019. It is slightly ahead of the Finns Party (Perus S), a right-wing populist, nationalist and eurosceptic party led by Rikka Purra, which scored the best result in its history: 20.05% of the vote and 46 elected members (+7). Its leader even received the highest number of votes for her name, around 38,000, and 35,000 for the outgoing Prime Minister Sanna Marin, whose Social Democratic Party (SDP) came third with 19.93% of the vote and 43 seats (+3).
The three parties were really running neck and neck. In Finland, however, it is up to the leading party to form a government.
“There is no far-right party in Finland”, assured Petteri Orpo, Sunday April 2 to the foreign press, at the end of a suspenseful electoral evening from which he emerged victorious, by a short head. . Promised to the post of Prime Minister at 53, the candidate of the National Coalition (right) was very clear: in the phase of preparation for his government team, he does not want to close any doors.
In the past, several right-left coalitions (known as “blue-red”) have emerged, as was the case under the government of Harri Holkeri (1987-1991), or those of Jyrki Katainen and Alexander Stubb ( 2011-2015). These legislative elections nevertheless carry their share of firsts: never the Party of Finns, anti-immigration formation advocating national preference, had never come in second position. Applauded by her supporters with cries of “Finland! Finland! Riikka Purra was delighted to have achieved the “best electoral result” in the history of her party, which she is the first woman to lead.
The government negotiations will not begin until after Easter. Beyond this consensual horizon lies the unknown. Petteri Orpo, indecipherable behind his glasses and his placid smile, allows himself the freedom to lean on one side or the other, according to his interests. “All the experts here in Finland are expecting very difficult negotiations due to major disagreements on many issues, underlines Aino Tiihonen, political scientist at the University of Tampere. The most probable hypothesis is that Petteri Orpo will speak at the same time with the Social Democrats and the Party of Finns”.
https://www.paudal.com/2023/04/03/in-finland-petteri-orpo-ready-to-govern-with-the-far-right/
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Le journal du peintre 2 