PM Sanna Marin's party defeated in tight parliamentary elections

HELSINKI (Finland): Finland's Prime Minister Sanna Marin's party was defeated in tight parliamentary elections on Sunday (local time) after a centre-right party stressed on country's economic troubles, New York Times reported.

Marin's Social Democratic Party was outpolled after the centre-right National Coalition Party-led by Petteri Orpo, 53, received the most votes followed by the right-wing Finns Party and the Social Democrats.

Petteri Orpo's party National Coalition Party received more than 93.4 per cent votes, which means that very soon, the country will get the new Prime Minister.

Marin, 37, was narrowly defeated. Despite her popularity, the election turned on the economy, and Orpo was successful in arguing that public spending should be reduced and that Finland's debt is too high, New York Times reported.

The radical right Finns Party, meanwhile, gained seven new MPs and took 20 per cent of the vote.

The National Coalition Party was on top with 20.7 per cent, followed closely by the right-wing populist party The Finns with 20.1 per cent, while the Social Democratic Party of Marin garnered 19.9 per cent.

The Centre Party, Left Alliance and Greens all suffered large losses after their participation in the current five-party coalition, with leaders of all three saying it would be difficult for them to go back into government after these election results.

According to Yleisradio Oy, the country's national public broadcasting company, Orpo faces a difficult job forming a government in the new parliament, with his first task to put out feelers to each of the parties to find any common ground on the important issues and explore the prospect of drafting a government programme.

Once that task is complete, he will enter into negotiations with his preferred coalition partners and set out a plan for the next four years.

The NCP has led in polls for almost two years, although its lead melted away in recent months. It has promised to curb spending and stop the rise of public debt, which has reached just over 70 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) since Marin took office in 2019, according to Al Jazeera.

Sanna Marin, upon her confirmation by Parliament at the age of 34, became Finland's youngest-ever Prime Minister and was the youngest serving state leader. She has been the Prime Minister of Finland since 2019 and a member of Parliament since 2015.

Recently, New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was the latest female Prime Minister who stood down from her post. Chris Hipkins succeeded her as the new leader of New Zealand.