The four right-wing parties currently in government formation talks are edging closer to an agreement, the likely future prime minister, Petteri Orpo, has said amid possible tensions.
Finnish government talks between the liberal-conservative National Coalition Party (NCP), the populist Finns Party, the Christian Democrats, and the Swedish People’s Party have reached the seventh negotiation phase, and on Monday, NCP’s Chair, Orpo, the likely future prime minister said he was confident the four parties are coming closer to an agreement.
”In my opinion, the goal (of forming a government) can be reached this week. Papers are being finalised. When the party Chairs can meet for the first time after a few days, there will be work to be done. Hopefully, we can solve single issues and agree on programme entities.”, he said.
Should the formation of a right-wing government go beyond this week, it would be the first time in history that parties needed as long to form a government, with parties needing 79 days to reach a coalition agreement in 1951.
As negotiations continue, key issues, such as the distribution obligation for transport fuels, the allocation of development cooperation funds, and the resources needed for the health and social sectors, are still on the table – though with the clock ticking, parties appear to prefer discord and disagreement over constructive dialogue.
For instance, after Anna-Maja Henriksson, chair of the Swedish People’s Party (Renew affiliated), said that a possible government alliance with the Finns Party (ECR) would be more like a ”marriage of convenience”, not love, the Finns Party Chair, Riikka Purra, said she would be content just with a government delivering its programme.
”When it comes to love and marriage, I am searching and finding those somewhere else”, Purra said.
(Pekka Vänttinen | EURACTIV.com)
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