Unexpected Defeat for Right in Finland; Left Rises

The populist right in Finland experienced a surprise defeat in the recent European Parliament elections, diverging from the right-ward trend observed in other European nations, Kari Karppinen, a media expert and professor at the University of Helsinki, said in a BTA interview after her country voted in the European elections. In Finland, the National Coalition Party, the largest in the ruling majority, secured nearly 25% of the votes and will be sending 15 representatives to the new European Parliament.

The left in Finland had robust election performance, securing 17.3% of the vote and exceeding forecasts, the analyst said. Meanwhile, the populist The Finns Party, the second largest in the Helsinki parliament, underperformed with just 7.6% of the vote.

The National Coalition Party had a predictable victory, while the unexpected defeat of the populist right-wing party, The Finns, deviated from the current trend of right-wing gains across Europe. The Finns, known for their eurosceptic stance, typically see low voter turnout in European elections, noted Karppinen. He added that this outcome casts doubt on the perceived national support for the current government.

Another big surprise, Karppinen said, was the Left Alliance, led by Li Andersson, defying polls and emerging as the second largest party from Finland in European Parliamentary elections. They drew significant support from the Green League and the Social Democratic Party, largely attributed to Andersson's popularity. Andersson has now set a record for receiving the most votes in the history of Finnish European elections, the analyst said.

The left and the Greens slightly overperformed compared to previous European and national elections. However, this is not expected to significantly change the policies of Finnish MEPs.

Karppinen said that the 42.4% turnout in Finland was consistent with previous European elections. Despite expectations of higher participation based on early voting, the final days of campaigning lacked intensity. This indicates that European Parliament elections are not seen as significant as national elections, he argued.