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.