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Finland鈥檚 PM Marin concedes defeat as right-wing NCP wins election

Parliamentary elections in Finland

Finland鈥檚 Prime Minister and Social Democrats leader Sanna Marin, National Coalition leader Petteri Orpo, and Finns Party leader Riikka Purra attend a Finnish parliamentary elections media reception at the Finnish Parliament in Helsinki, Finland April 2, 2023. Lehtikuva/Heikki Saukkomaa via REUTERS

HELSINKI 鈥 Finland鈥檚 left-wing Prime Minister Sanna Marin conceded defeat on Sunday in the Nordic country鈥檚 parliamentary election as the opposition right-wing National Coalition Party (NCP) claimed victory in a tightly fought contest.

The pro-business NCP was expected to win 48 of the 200 seats in parliament, narrowly ahead of the nationalist Finns Party with 46 seats and Marin鈥檚 Social Democrats on 43 seats, justice ministry election data showed with all ballots counted.

鈥淲e got the biggest mandate,鈥 NCP leader Petteri Orpo said in a speech to followers, vowing to 鈥渇ix Finland鈥 and its economy.

He will get the first chance at forming a coalition to obtain majority in parliament as Marin鈥檚 era as prime minister was expected to end.

鈥淲e have gained support, we have gained more seats (in parliament). That鈥檚 an excellent achievement, even if we did not finish first today,鈥 the prime minister said in a speech to party members.

Marin, 37, the world鈥檚 youngest prime minister when she took office in 2019, is considered by fans around the globe as a millennial role model for progressive new leaders, but at home she has faced criticism for her partying and her government鈥檚 public spending.

While she remains very popular among many Finns, particularly young moderates, she antagonized some conservatives with lavish spending on pensions and education they see as not frugal enough.

The NCP has led in polls for almost two years although its lead had melted away in recent months. It has 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.

Orpo accused Marin of eroding Finland鈥檚 economic resilience at a time when Europe鈥檚 energy crisis, driven by Russia鈥檚 war in Ukraine, has hit the country hard and the cost of living has increased.

Orpo has said he will negotiate with all groups to obtain a majority in parliament, while Marin has said her Social Democrats may govern with the NCP but will not go into government with the Finns Party.

Marin called the Finns Party 鈥渙penly racist鈥 during a debate in January 鈥 an accusation the nationalist group rejected.

The Finns Party鈥檚 main goal is to reduce what leader Riikka Purra has called 鈥渉armful鈥 immigration from developing countries outside the European Union. It also calls for austerity policies to curb deficit spending, a stance it shares with the NCP.

Most notable of Marin鈥檚 foreign policy actions has been her push, along with President Sauli Niinisto, for the country to make a watershed policy U-turn by seeking NATO membership in the wake of Russia鈥檚 invasion of Ukraine.

That process is now almost complete, with Helsinki expected to join within days after all the Western defense alliance鈥檚 30 members approved the accession.

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