Govt survives no-confidence motion over immigration issue

The five-party alliance government on Friday survived a no-confidence motion brought against it in parliament by two opposition parties over handling of immigration into Finland and economic policies.

The government won the motion submitted by the main opposition Perussuomalaiset (Finns Party) together with Liike Nyt (Movement Now) by 89 to 68 votes with 42 lawmakers remaining absent, said the parliament in a press release.

The opposition parties criticised the government´s immigration policy, particularly planned changes to the policy on the granting of asylum on the basis of family reunification.

They also criticised the Finland´s asylum seeker quotas.

The two other opposition parties-Kansallinen Kokoomus (National Coalition Party-NCP) and the Suomen Kristillisdemokraati (Christian Democratic Party), however, did not participated in the motion.

Earlier on Wednesday, Interior Minister Maria Ohisalo in the plenary debate dined the allegations brought against the government by the opposition parties over immigration and economic issues.