Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin conceded defeat on Sunday in the Nordic country’s parliamentary elections, in which the right-wing opposition National Coalition Party (PNC) won the victory.
The National Coalition Party (PNC) won 48 of the 200 seats in parliament, ahead of the Finnish Nationalist Party (46 seats) and Marin’s Social Democrats (43 seats), according to data from the Ministry of Justice, once all the ballots were counted.
“We have obtained the broadest mandate,” PNC leader Petteri Orpo said in a speech to supporters, vowing to “fix Finland” and its economy.
She will have the first chance to form a coalition to win a majority in parliament, which if materialized will spell the end of Marin’s era as prime minister.
“We have gained support, we have won more seats (in Parliament). It is an excellent achievement, even if we have not been first today,” the prime minister said in a speech to party members.
Marin, 37, the world’s youngest prime minister when she took office in 2019, is seen by supporters around the world as a model for new progressive leaders, but has faced criticism at home for a contentious party and her government’s public spending.
Although he remains very popular among many Finns, especially moderate young people, he fell out with some conservatives over alleged waste on pensions and education.
The PNC has led the polls for nearly two years, though its lead had vanished in recent months. He has vowed to curb spending and halt the rise in public debt, which has reached just over 70% of GDP since Marin took office in 2019.
Orpo has accused Marin of eroding Finland’s economic resilience at a time when Europe’s energy crisis, fueled by Russia’s war in Ukraine, has hit the country hard and the cost of living has risen.
Orpo has said he will negotiate with all groups to win a majority in parliament, while Marin has said his Social Democrats can govern with the PNC but will not enter government with the Finns Party.
Marin called the Finns Party “openly racist” during a debate in January, an accusation the nationalist group rejected.
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