Elections will hinder work of new Finnish government

The Finnish parliament elected Mari Kiviniemi of the rural liberal Centre Party to succeed her party colleague Matti Vanhanen as prime minister on Tuesday. The daily Kaleva expects no major changes: "The new government's statement ... is only three pages long, but it puts forward many tasks for the remaining ten months in office. ... The elections in April could mean the government won't dare make the necessary spending cuts or other decisions that are unpleasant for voters. Within the government Prime Minister Kiviniemi and Finance Minister Jyrki Katainen (Centre Party) are fighting for the post of prime minister of the next government. Meanwhile the leader of the opposition [social democratic] SDP Jutta Urpilainen is trying by all means possible and with the backing of SDP parliamentary group leader Eero Heinäluoma to grab the post. On the other hand the new government is obliged to stick to the plan drawn up by Matti Vanhanen's government in spring 2007, so it will have its hands tied in many respects."

» full article (external link, Finnish)
More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Economic Policy, » Elections, » Finland

» To the complete press review of Wednesday, June 23, 2010