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Government Change in Helsinki Will Not Affect Finland's NATO Prospects

Apr 3, 2023 | 16:20 GMT

Petteri Orpo, the leader of Finland’s National Coalition party, speaks to the media in Helsinki following parliamentary elections on April 2, 2023. 

Petteri Orpo, the leader of Finland’s National Coalition party, speaks to the media in Helsinki following parliamentary elections on April 2, 2023.

(JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP via Getty Images)

While the next Finnish government will not dispute the country's membership in NATO, a right-wing coalition could increase tensions with the European Union on issues like fiscal integration and immigration. On April 2, Finland held a general election to vote in the 200 members of its unicameral parliament. The conservative National Coalition party won 48 seats, followed by the right-wing populist Finns Party with 46 seats and outgoing Prime Minister Sanna Marin's center-left Social Democratic Party with 43 seats. Marin conceded defeat hours after the results were announced. In the coming days, National Coalition leader Petteri Orpo will begin consultations with other political parties to form a new government, most likely with him as Finland's new prime minister. There are two main scenarios regarding the formation of the new government: the National Coalition could form either a right-wing coalition with the Finns Party and other smaller political forces, or a...

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