Finland's Prime Minister Sanna Marin Concedes Defeat in Parliament Election
Finland's left-wing Prime Minister Sanna Marin has conceded defeat in the country's parliamentary election, as the opposition right-wing National Coalition Party (NCP) claimed victory. The NCP won 48 seats in parliament, narrowly ahead of the nationalist Finns Party with 46 seats and Marin's Social Democrats on 43 seats.
Marin, 37, is considered a millennial role model for progressive new leaders but has faced criticism at home for her partying and government spending. She remained popular among many young Finns but antagonized some conservatives with lavish spending on pensions and education that they saw as not frugal enough.
NCP leader Petteri Orpo vowed to "fix Finland" and its economy, promising to curb spending and stop the rise of public debt. He will get the first chance at forming a coalition to obtain a majority in parliament as Marin's era as prime minister was expected to end.
Marin acknowledged that her party had gained support but not won the election, calling it an "excellent achievement." She also criticized Orpo's claims about her government's public spending, saying they were "not true."
The Finns Party's main goal is to reduce immigration from developing countries outside the European Union and implement austerity policies to curb deficit spending. Marin's Social Democrats had vowed not to go into government with the Finns Party.
Marin's foreign policy actions, particularly her push for NATO membership in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, have been notable. The process is now almost complete, with Helsinki expected to join within days after all 30 members of the Western defense alliance approved accession.
Finland's left-wing Prime Minister Sanna Marin has conceded defeat in the country's parliamentary election, as the opposition right-wing National Coalition Party (NCP) claimed victory. The NCP won 48 seats in parliament, narrowly ahead of the nationalist Finns Party with 46 seats and Marin's Social Democrats on 43 seats.
Marin, 37, is considered a millennial role model for progressive new leaders but has faced criticism at home for her partying and government spending. She remained popular among many young Finns but antagonized some conservatives with lavish spending on pensions and education that they saw as not frugal enough.
NCP leader Petteri Orpo vowed to "fix Finland" and its economy, promising to curb spending and stop the rise of public debt. He will get the first chance at forming a coalition to obtain a majority in parliament as Marin's era as prime minister was expected to end.
Marin acknowledged that her party had gained support but not won the election, calling it an "excellent achievement." She also criticized Orpo's claims about her government's public spending, saying they were "not true."
The Finns Party's main goal is to reduce immigration from developing countries outside the European Union and implement austerity policies to curb deficit spending. Marin's Social Democrats had vowed not to go into government with the Finns Party.
Marin's foreign policy actions, particularly her push for NATO membership in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, have been notable. The process is now almost complete, with Helsinki expected to join within days after all 30 members of the Western defense alliance approved accession.
she was so young and popular among millennials when she took office 
but it looks like the Finns are ready for a change 
NCP leader Petteri Orpo's promises to "fix Finland" seem pretty legit 
I hope he can actually deliver on his promises instead of just talking about them 
the fact that Marin called out Orpo's public spending claims is pretty cool 
she's still got some spunk left in her 
anyway, it'll be interesting to see how Orpo forms a coalition and if they can really "fix Finland" 
. I mean, I knew she was popular among the young crowd and all, but I didn't think it'd be this bad 
. And good luck to Orpo trying to fix Finland's economy - that's some big shoes to fill 
! On the bright side, Helsinki is finally joining NATO 
. Can't wait to see how Marin handles this transition...
I mean I knew it was coming but still! she's like my ultimate girl boss 
and I've been following her career since she became PM at 34 
. I know some people bashed her for partying and government spending, but honestly who doesn't love a good party 
? And I think it's kinda cool that she's already thinking about what to do next... like, has she got a secret life already 
? anywayz, congrats to Petteri Orpo 
She was supposed to be this super young and progressive leader but it seems like Finland's people just didn't want her style anymore 
. I mean I get it, not everyone can agree on lavish spending on pensions and education, but still... 
Petteri Orpo is going to be in charge now? 
! I'm still thinking about how her partying days might've cost her the election 
... anyway, congrats to Petteri Orpo and let's see what he brings to the table 
.
. However, it's interesting to see how young Finns view her - according to my polls, 62% of them still think she's an inspiring leader for progressive change 
.
. I hope he can bring some fiscal responsibility to the table 
.
. And what's up with the Finns Party's stance on immigration? It's like they're trying to turn Finland into some sort of ivory tower 
. She's got some young and progressive vibes going on but it seems like Finland wants more, you know? The NCP's win is kinda surprising - I mean, they've been around forever 
. But hey, it's not the end of the world for Sanna... she'll still have her moments in the spotlight, I'm sure 
!
. Like, I'm not surprised though - Finns got pretty fed up with her party's spending habits 
.
- it's like, they've been talking about this for ages! The fact that Helsinki is almost done joining within days? That's some serious momentum right there 
. Can't wait to see what the future holds for Finland (and Sanna Marin) 
. Curb spending and reduce debt, here we go 
.
. NCP leader Petteri Orpo thinks he can just waltz in and "fix Finland"... good luck with that 
. And omg, the Finns Party is all about immigration reduction? How quaint... meanwhile, Marin's Social Democrats are probably over here just waiting for the next party crasher to come along 
!
. I mean, who doesn't love free education and healthcare? 
. And what about the Finns Party's plan to reduce immigration? Isn't that just gonna make Finland even more... Finnish? 
I'm not saying Marin was perfect or anything, but it feels like we're just trading one set of problems for another 
.
they're talking about austerity policies, that sounds kinda scary... 
... what's next? I'm kinda surprised she didn't win more seats, tho 
... too many young folks seem to be on the same page as her 
But I'm curious to see how this plays out with Orpo at the helm 
meanwhile petteri orpo is all like "i'll fix finland" 
personally i think marin did a great job, especially with nato and stuff