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Finland's Prime Minister Sanna Marin Concedes Election to Opposition Party.
Sanna Marin, Finland's youngest ever prime minister at the age of 37 when she took office in 2019, conceded defeat on Sunday as opposition party National Coalition Party (NCP) claimed victory in the Nordic country's parliamentary election. The NCP won 48 seats out of a total 200 parliamentary seats, narrowly ahead of the Finns Party with 46 seats and Marin's Social Democrats with 43 seats.
In her concession speech to party members, Marin acknowledged that she had not secured the votes necessary for her party to form a government, but expressed pride in her party's performance. "We have gained support, we have gained more seats (in parliament). Thatβs an excellent achievement, even if we did not finish first today," Marin said.
The National Coalition Party leader Petteri Orpo vowed to "fix Finland" and its economy, saying that the party had won the biggest mandate in the election. He also promised to curb spending and stop the rise of public debt, which has reached just over 70% of GDP since Marin took office in 2019.
Finland's economy has faced significant challenges in recent years, including a sharp decline in oil prices and Russia's war in Ukraine. The country has been under pressure to maintain its economic resilience in the face of rising energy costs and inflation.
Marin, who was once hailed as a millennial role model for progressive new leaders, had faced criticism at home for her party's lavish spending on pensions and education, which some saw as not frugal enough. Her government's public spending record has been a source of controversy in recent years.
While Marin remains popular among many Finns, particularly young moderates, she antagonized some conservatives with her lavish spending on social welfare programs. The opposition parties have campaigned on a platform of austerity and fiscal responsibility, which resonated with voters concerned about the country's economic future.
Marin's Social Democrats may still govern in coalition with other parties, but Marin has said that her party would not go into government with the Finns Party, which she had previously called "openly racist". The Finns Party has campaigned on a platform of reducing immigration from developing countries outside the European Union and cutting public spending.
Sanna Marin, Finland's youngest ever prime minister at the age of 37 when she took office in 2019, conceded defeat on Sunday as opposition party National Coalition Party (NCP) claimed victory in the Nordic country's parliamentary election. The NCP won 48 seats out of a total 200 parliamentary seats, narrowly ahead of the Finns Party with 46 seats and Marin's Social Democrats with 43 seats.
In her concession speech to party members, Marin acknowledged that she had not secured the votes necessary for her party to form a government, but expressed pride in her party's performance. "We have gained support, we have gained more seats (in parliament). Thatβs an excellent achievement, even if we did not finish first today," Marin said.
The National Coalition Party leader Petteri Orpo vowed to "fix Finland" and its economy, saying that the party had won the biggest mandate in the election. He also promised to curb spending and stop the rise of public debt, which has reached just over 70% of GDP since Marin took office in 2019.
Finland's economy has faced significant challenges in recent years, including a sharp decline in oil prices and Russia's war in Ukraine. The country has been under pressure to maintain its economic resilience in the face of rising energy costs and inflation.
Marin, who was once hailed as a millennial role model for progressive new leaders, had faced criticism at home for her party's lavish spending on pensions and education, which some saw as not frugal enough. Her government's public spending record has been a source of controversy in recent years.
While Marin remains popular among many Finns, particularly young moderates, she antagonized some conservatives with her lavish spending on social welfare programs. The opposition parties have campaigned on a platform of austerity and fiscal responsibility, which resonated with voters concerned about the country's economic future.
Marin's Social Democrats may still govern in coalition with other parties, but Marin has said that her party would not go into government with the Finns Party, which she had previously called "openly racist". The Finns Party has campaigned on a platform of reducing immigration from developing countries outside the European Union and cutting public spending.