Stalemate in budget talks makes govt fate uncertain

Right at this moment, the fate of the government hangs in the balance as the five-party ruiling alliance components have not gained an iota of certainty even after long five days of parley that they would somehow make it to an agreement on the budget framework under discussioon.

The budget negotiations among the ruling parties started on Wednesday and were supposed to be over by Thursday.

But, even on Sunday, leaders of the ruling parties found themselves neck-deep in the talks.

“The situation is very difficult. It has become tougher since Friday. It is difficult to get a solution if all parties are not willing to do that,” said Prime Minister Sanna Marin as she arrived at the House of Estates for the talks on Sunday morning.

The prime minister said she had discussed the issues with the leader of every party separately on Saturday.

Although most of the parties agreed on the framework, the rigidity of one of the components brought things to such a dire state, triggering uncertainty about the government’s fate.

The most contentious of the issues are employment and the economy, as well as the use of peat for energy.

The five-party coalition government was formed with the Sosialidemokraattinen Puolue (Social Democratic Party of Finland-SDP), the Suomen Keskusta (the Centre Party of Finland), the Vihreäliitto (the Green League), the Vasemmistoliitto (the Left Alliance), and the Suomenruotsalainenkansanpuolue (the Swedish People’s Party of Finlan–RKP), after the April 2019 parliamentary polls led by the then SDP leader Antti Rinne as the prime minister.

Antti Rinne resigned from that office on 3 December 2019as the Keskusta withdrew its support for him, following a mammoth strike of postal employees across the country.

Later, Sanna Marin of the SDP took over as the prime minister and the leaders of the five-party alliance decided to continue with the programme originally outlined by Rinne.