Finland Forms Coalition Government

Four Finnish parties agreed to form a coalition government on Thursday, after 11 weeks of negotiations. This majority government, which holds 108 out of 200 seats in parliament, sets up fiscal conservative Petteri Orpo to become Finland’s next prime minister.

The partnership includes:

• Orpo’s National Coalition Party (ncp) (48 seats)
• The Finns Party (46 seats)
• The Swedish People’s Party (10 seats)
• The Christian Democrats (5 seats)

The agreement marks a swing to the right in Finnish politics, sending the Social Democrats party, which only won 43 seats, to the outskirts.

Immigration hurdle: The four groups sparred for nearly three months over issues such as climate policy, public finances, health care and development aid. Their main point of contention was immigration.

The Finns Party has a strong anti-immigration stance. The ncp, in analyzing Finland’s aging population, sees new arrivals as a way of boosting the labor market.

Though the details of their policies are unclear, the coalition is expected to tighten immigration laws, such as raising the required minimum monthly gross income for work-based migrants. Orpo’s government will likely cut unemployment and welfare benefits to tame the fiscal deficit and loosen environmental commitments.

Rise of radicals: Europe’s politics are becoming more extreme. Just a little over a decade ago, the Finns Party held five seats in Parliament. Now, as one of the leading factions, it yields tremendous sway in policy decisions.

When an extreme group is brought into government, whether far-left or far-right, it is normalized. In the case of Finland, fear of the ongoing refugee crisis has led to the rise of a more radical government. This is explained in our article “Why Are So Many Finns Voting for the Far Right?”

What causes voters to call for an extreme government? More importantly, what happens to a nation when it is given to them? This trend in European politics will have a far greater impact on the world than meets the eye.

Learn more: To answer these vital questions and see the direction Europe is heading, please read “European Politics Are in a Death Spiral.”