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Finnish PM in razor-thin poll win Finnish PM in razor-thin poll win
(30 minutes later)
Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen's Centre Party has won the country's general election by the slimmest of margins, official poll results show.Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen's Centre Party has won the country's general election by the slimmest of margins, official poll results show.
Mr Vanhanen's party gained a single extra parliamentary seat than the Conservatives, who came a close second.Mr Vanhanen's party gained a single extra parliamentary seat than the Conservatives, who came a close second.
The Social Democrats, who form part of Finland's centre-left coalition government, were third. The Social Democrats, who form part of Finland's centre-left coalition government, took third place.
Correspondents says the Conservatives' strong showing could force Mr Vanhanen to realign his coalition.
"We did it!" Mr Vanhanen said after official results were announced with 99% of the votes counted."We did it!" Mr Vanhanen said after official results were announced with 99% of the votes counted.
"The result is clear. We are number one in votes and number one in seats," he told supporters at a central Helsinki hotel."The result is clear. We are number one in votes and number one in seats," he told supporters at a central Helsinki hotel.
The Conservative National Coalition Party took 50 seats in the 200-member parliament and current coalition partner the Social Democrats secured 45 seats.The Conservative National Coalition Party took 50 seats in the 200-member parliament and current coalition partner the Social Democrats secured 45 seats.
With 99.9% of the votes counted, the Centre Party took 23.1% of the vote, the National Coalition gained 22.2% and the Social Democrats 21.5%.
Coalition shift?Coalition shift?
The gains of the Conservatives could lead to the creation of a new centre-right government, pushing the Social Democrats into opposition for the first time in over a decade.The gains of the Conservatives could lead to the creation of a new centre-right government, pushing the Social Democrats into opposition for the first time in over a decade.
Since 2003, the Centre Party has governed alongside the Social Democrats and the small Swedish People's Party.
Although Mr Vanhanen has so far been unwilling to discuss what would happen if support swung behind the Conservative party, its leader, 35-year-old Jyrki Katainen, said he expected his party to be within the next government.
"The people wanted the Conservatives to grow, that should also be reflected in the government," he said.
"I think it would be very odd if we were not in the next government."
The BBC's Nordic correspondent Julian Isherwood says the main interest in the election will be whether Mr Vanhanen manages to meet off a challenge from his Social Democratic Finance Minister Eero Heinaluoma.The BBC's Nordic correspondent Julian Isherwood says the main interest in the election will be whether Mr Vanhanen manages to meet off a challenge from his Social Democratic Finance Minister Eero Heinaluoma.
The largest party in the polls traditionally forms a parliamentary majority and names the prime minister.The largest party in the polls traditionally forms a parliamentary majority and names the prime minister.
The main issues in the election campaign have been welfare and the level of further tax cuts that the government wants to introduce.The main issues in the election campaign have been welfare and the level of further tax cuts that the government wants to introduce.
Care for the elderly has been a major issue since Finland, with some 5.3 million citizens, has one of Europe's most rapidly ageing populations.Care for the elderly has been a major issue since Finland, with some 5.3 million citizens, has one of Europe's most rapidly ageing populations.