Finland's Prime Minister Sanna Marin Concedes Defeat in Parliamentary Election.
In a surprise move, Finland's left-wing Prime Minister Sanna Marin conceded defeat in the country's parliamentary election on Sunday. The opposition right-wing National Coalition Party (NCP) claimed victory, winning 48 seats out of 200 in parliament. Marin's Social Democrats secured 43 seats, while the nationalist Finns Party came close with 46 seats.
In a speech to her party members, Marin acknowledged that her party had not won the most seats but praised its performance, saying they had "gained support and gained more seats." She vowed to continue governing with the NCP, despite initial speculation about forming an opposition-led government.
Marin, just 37 years old, became Finland's youngest prime minister in 2019. However, her tenure has been marked by controversy over partying and public spending. Critics argued that her administration had been too generous on pensions and education, which led to a significant increase in national debt.
The NCP, led by Petteri Orpo, campaigned on promises of reducing public debt and austerity measures. In his victory speech, Orpo vowed to "fix Finland" and its economy. He will now have the first chance to form a coalition government, with Marin's Social Democrats potentially joining him.
Finland's foreign policy has been another significant aspect of Marin's tenure. She played a key role in pushing for NATO membership in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The process is almost complete, with Helsinki expected to join within days after all 30 Western defense alliance members approved the accession.
The Finns Party, led by Riikka Purra, focused on immigration and reducing public spending during the election campaign. Its main goal is to curb "harmful" immigration from developing countries outside the European Union.
In a surprise move, Finland's left-wing Prime Minister Sanna Marin conceded defeat in the country's parliamentary election on Sunday. The opposition right-wing National Coalition Party (NCP) claimed victory, winning 48 seats out of 200 in parliament. Marin's Social Democrats secured 43 seats, while the nationalist Finns Party came close with 46 seats.
In a speech to her party members, Marin acknowledged that her party had not won the most seats but praised its performance, saying they had "gained support and gained more seats." She vowed to continue governing with the NCP, despite initial speculation about forming an opposition-led government.
Marin, just 37 years old, became Finland's youngest prime minister in 2019. However, her tenure has been marked by controversy over partying and public spending. Critics argued that her administration had been too generous on pensions and education, which led to a significant increase in national debt.
The NCP, led by Petteri Orpo, campaigned on promises of reducing public debt and austerity measures. In his victory speech, Orpo vowed to "fix Finland" and its economy. He will now have the first chance to form a coalition government, with Marin's Social Democrats potentially joining him.
Finland's foreign policy has been another significant aspect of Marin's tenure. She played a key role in pushing for NATO membership in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The process is almost complete, with Helsinki expected to join within days after all 30 Western defense alliance members approved the accession.
The Finns Party, led by Riikka Purra, focused on immigration and reducing public spending during the election campaign. Its main goal is to curb "harmful" immigration from developing countries outside the European Union.