Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Finnish extreme right hampers rescue

The dramatic improvement of the far right in elections this Sunday in Finland threatens European stability as its eventual entry into a coalition government with the conservative party won the bailout could cripple the countries of the eurozone. At the end of the election, the Conservative Party Kokoomus the Finance Minister Jyrki Katainen, won 20.4% of the vote and 44 of the 200 seats in the Eduskunta (parliament), six fewer than in previous elections.

With this victory, Katainen almost certainly become the first Conservative leader to agree to the Head of the Finnish Government since 1987 and the second youngest prime minister of the Nordic country's history. The Social Democratic Party (SDP), the main opposition party, rose to second place and achieved 19.1% of the vote and 42 seats, despite losing 3 seats.

However, the real winner in these elections was the far-right group 'Perussuomalaiset' (True Finns) Nationalist MEP Timo Soini, who with 19% scored 39 deputies and became the third political force in Finland. Thanks to his charisma and his populist rhetoric, Soini has achieved the greatest progress of a match in the history of Finland by multiplying by eight the number of seats, taking advantage of popular discontent over economic crisis and voter dissatisfaction with the traditional parties .

"This is a great victory, the triumph of common sense of the Finns, who are tired governed by the same old parties that have spent decades in power," said a jubilant Soini after learning the results. "We wanted to break the supremacy of the major parties, spent years fighting for it. I'm a patient man, and today we finally managed," he added.

The big loser of these elections was the ruling Centre Party of Prime Minister Mari Kiviniemi, who remained at 15.8% and got 35 seats, 16 fewer than in the 2007 elections. Kiviniemi conceded defeat and said the real winner in yesterday's elections was the party Soini, the only representation in the Parliament in Helsinki that won seats.

"The True Finns are the winners today and we must congratulate them because the people have placed on their side," said Kiviniemi. Analysts said the impressive progress of the far right complicate the formation of the next government because of his radical views on many important issues.

Soini himself stated during the campaign that is unwilling to participate in a government that would give the green light for new bailouts, including the Portuguese. The populist leader gave a message to Katainen and warned that the negotiations between the Conservatives and the True Finns will be "very complicated." For the first time since Finland joined the European Union (EU) in 1995, EU election campaign focused and will also be a key issue in negotiations to form the next government, which traditionally leads the largest party.

The outgoing government has granted more than 1,500 million euros in loans to help bail out Iceland, Greece and Ireland, despite the rejection of much of the opposition parties. Also committed to its community partners to provide 8,000 million euros in guarantees to the European rescue fund temporary (EFSF) 12,500 million and other European Stability Mechanism (ESM).

Negotiations to expand and streamline rescue funds were suspended, precisely because of the elections in Finland, whose parliament majority to approve any measure of this caliber. Given the opposition of the True Finns to the rescue Portuguese, Katainen most likely try to find other partners, the Social Democrats, the Greens and the liberal Swedish People's Party, according to several analysts.

"Finland has always been a very responsible country, willing to solve problems, not create them, and I am convinced that the next government will continue doing the same thing," said Katainen.

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