Millionaire wins Finnish elections

A millionaire former telecoms executive touted as a technocrat capable of rescuing Finland from economic slump won yesterday’s parliamentary election, polls showed late last night, but he may need support of a Euro-sceptic populist party to form a coalition.

Forecasts by state broadcaster YLE based on 60% of votes showed opposition Centre Party leader Juha Sipila, who has backing of the urban middle class and rural conservatives, beating pro-Europe and pro-Nato prime minister Alexander Stubb.

YLE forecast that Sipila won 46 seats in the 200-member parliament, with Stubb’s centre-right National Coalition netting 37 seats and centre-left Social Democrats 37 seats. The eurosceptic and anti-immigration Finns Party was fourth with 35 seats.

“Well, I think this gap will be enough,” Sipila told broadcaster MTV3 when asked if he saw himself as the winner after vote forecasts were broadcast. “This result will enable several possible coalition combinations.”

A coalition that includes Finns Party, formerly known as the True Finns, could reinforce Finland’s hardline stance over bailouts in the eurozone just as the battle for Greece’s future in the bloc nears a climax.

Reuters