Govt pulls back risky confidence vote

Prime Minister Juha Sipilä and leader of the Suomen Keskusta ( Centre Party of Finland) on Tuesday pulled back his plan to subject the future of the three-party alliance government to a vote of confidence this week.

Sipilä's pledge followed his admission of the fact that the government's key plan to reform the health and social sector and to introduce provincial administrations would be unavoidably delayed further.

Sipilä said early on Tuesday the reform had changed so much that parliamentary support had to be checked through a "notification", which leads to a vote of confidence. However, on Tuesday afternoon the plan was changed to an "announcement", which will not include a vote.

As the government stepped back from seeking a vote of confidence, one of the components, the Kansallinen Kokoomus (National Coalition Party) leader, Petteri Orpo, also the Finance Minister told media that the prime minister had been "seeking words".

Local media commentators said the declined parliamentary support for the health reform probably caused the government to get "cold feet".

Due to changes of opinion and defections, the health reform is estimated to enjoy the support of only 101 MPs out of the 200. If a vote took place, the government would have faced a major risk of falling apart.

The health care reform is aiming at opening up the tax finance health care to private business. The plan has been altered repeatedly due to negotiation terms and constitutional problems, and it is now impossible to be implemented before the current government ends its term next year.

Orpo admitted the delay opens the prospect that the new government to be installed after the May 2019 general election could make further changes to the reform plan.