Finland Elections: Sanna Marin Defeat Could Have Domino Effect, EU warns

Sanna Marin's loss in the Finland elections is considered a setback
The EU was hoping that Marin's win would be for a pro-EU gain
Such a domino effect will be a disadvantage for Brussels, like losing support in the Finnish government

The main conservative party in Finland won Sunday's parliamentary elections in a tight three-way race in which right-wing populists placed second, and the Social Democratic Party of Prime Minister Sanna Marin placed third, shattering her reelection aspirations.

The famed anti-EU attitudes of the far-right The Finns party raised concern in the EU following the election results.

Sanna Marin's Election dEfeat Could Have 'Domino Effect'

Dr. Helena Ivanov, a research fellow at the Henry Jackson Society, told Express.co.uk that, following the Italian and Swedish election results, the bloc appears to be shifting to the right in a "domino effect."

The National Coalition Party (NCP) declared victory after all ballots were tabulated, coming out on top with 20,8 percent of the vote. They were followed by the right-wing populist Finns, who received 20,1 percent of the vote, and the Social Democrats, who received 19.9 percent. Approximately 2,400 candidates from 22 parties vied for 200 parliamentary seats in a Nordic nation.

Marin, one of Europe's youngest leaders at age 37, has garnered international acclaim for her ardent support of Ukraine and her major role, together with President Sauli Niinistö, in campaigning for Finland's successful application to join NATO. NCP leader Petteri Orpo, Finland's former finance minister and possible incoming prime minister, guaranteed the Nordic nation's support with Kyiv will remain strong throughout his administration.

Finland, which shares a long border with Russia, became a NATO member earlier this week after alliance members Turkey and Hungary approved the country's membership application. According to observers, the outcome signifies a power shift in Finland's political environment, as the country is expected to form a new center-right administration with nationalist overtones.

The government will replace the center-left Cabinet with Marin, a nationally and internationally popular prime minister since 2019. In the next few days, the NCP is anticipated to lead government formation discussions to assemble a Cabinet with a majority in the Parliament.

Finland Conservatives Win

Per CTVNews, the stances of Marin's party on the Finnish economy emerged as a central campaign issue. Conservatives opposed them, who continue to criticize the Social Democrats' economic policies and are unlikely to collaborate with them.

Throughout the election, Orpo emphasized Finland's rising government debt and the necessity for budget cuts. The NCP is open to cooperating with The Finns since the two parties share a similar outlook on developing Finland's economy, despite their divergent positions on climate policy and EU concerns.

When Russia's invasion of Ukraine caused Finland to seek NATO membership in May 2022, neither the historic decision to forsake the nation's nonalignment policy nor the conflict surfaced as key campaign topics because parties were largely in agreement over membership. Finland, set to join NATO within the next several weeks, is a member of the European Union.

Finland, set to join NATO within the next several weeks, is a member of the European Union. AP News reported that the initial election turnout was 71.9%, a modest decrease from the 2019 election.