Govt fate hangs in balance as Keskusta warns to quit

The fate of the five-party alliance government is hanging in the balance as one of the components- the Suomen Keskusta (the Centre Party of Finland)- on Saturday again warned to quit the government.

Prime Minister Sanna Marin, also Chair of the main component Sosialidemokraattinen Puolue (Social Democratic Party of Finland-SDP), however, said that the ruling parties can resolve the gaps, if they have willingness in this regard.

The situation of the possible collapse created following remarks made by Keskuta Chair Annika Saarikko, also the Finance Minister at a party meeting in Rovaniemi on Saturday where she that hat her party would not continue in a government that did not obey country's budget framework, local media reported.

"As Minister of Finance, I am responsible for preparing next year's financial decisions. The work for next spring’s framework is now underway. I intend to have this principled debate with the chairs of all the government parties before Christmas," reported national broadcaster Yle, quoting Saarikko as saying in a speech to party delegates.

The budget framework establishes agreed spending limits for each budgetary year, which the current government has exceeded during this term of office as extra spending was required to help the nation deal with the Covid crisis, said the Yle report.

Responding to the remarks, the Prime Minister said that like the previous time, the components of the alliance can overcome the disagreements also in the future.

Addressing a party meeting in Oulu, Marin on Saturday said that SDP would continue to work to uphold the alliance.

"Of course, we start from the fact that what is agreed upon together is adhered to. In last spring's framework negotiations, we agreed on the framework and what kind of adjustment measures we will take," said the Yle report, quoting Marin as saying.

Earlier, in late April this year, the government faced possible collapse created following the disagreement of Keskusta with the four other left leaning parties on budget framework for the next two years.

But the collapse was avoided after the alliance finally reached to an agreement on the eighth day of the marathon negotiations started on 21 April.

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

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 2019 as 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.