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Finnish PM in razor-thin poll win Finns set to form new coalition
(1 day 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. Finland's ruling Centre Party is starting talks on forming a new coalition government following its narrow success in Sunday's election.
Mr Vanhanen's party gained a single extra parliamentary seat than the Conservatives, who came a close second. The party of Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen gained 51 parliamentary seats, one more than its closest rival, the Conservative National Coalition.
The Social Democrats, who form part of Finland's centre-left coalition government, took third place. The Social Democrats, who formed part of the outgoing centre-left government, were beaten into third place.
Correspondents says the Conservatives' strong showing could force Mr Vanhanen to realign his coalition. The party could now go into opposition if Mr Vanhanen realigns 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 the official results were announced.
"The result is clear. We are number one in votes and number one in seats," he told supporters at a central Helsinki hotel. "In an election it's always easy to win from the opposition, but the most difficult thing is to renew one's victory," he told jubilant supporters in Helsinki.
The Conservative National Coalition Party took 50 seats in the 200-member parliament and current coalition partner the Social Democrats secured 45 seats.
The Centre Party took 23.1% of the vote, the National Coalition gained 22.2% and the Social Democrats 21.5%.The Centre Party took 23.1% of the vote, the National Coalition gained 22.2% and the Social Democrats 21.5%.
Coalition shift? Shift to the right
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. Conservative leader 35-year-old Jyrki Katainen said his party could not be sidelined from talks on forming a new government.
Since 2003, the Centre Party has governed alongside the Social Democrats and the small Swedish People's Party. "The people wanted the Conservatives to grow - that should also be reflected in the government," he said.
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.""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. It is notable that not only Finland has turned to the centre-right, but that it is part of a wider trend Risto Penttila, head of Finnish Business and Policy Forum
The largest party in the polls traditionally forms a parliamentary majority and names the prime minister. Mr Vanhanen has so far been unwilling to discuss what would happen if support swung behind the Conservative party.
The main issues in the election campaign have been welfare and the level of further tax cuts that the government wants to introduce. Talks on the formation of the next government would be "very difficult", he said.
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. The largest party in the polls traditionally forms a parliamentary majority and names the prime minister. Since 2003, the Centre Party has governed alongside the Social Democrats and the small Swedish People's Party.
Social Democratic Party Secretary Maarit Feldt-Ranta said the Centre Party would initiate talks. "The ball is in their court," she said.
The Social Democratic Party, which now has 45 MPs, lost eight seats in the 200-strong parliament.
Mr Vanhanen is due to tender his government's resignation on 28 March; the formation of the new government is expected in mid-April.
Its first test will be nationwide pay talks in the next few months. It will also have to consider proposals for possible limits on presidential powers, which currently include a role in foreign affairs.
Emerging trend
Political analysts see a swing to the right in Finland as inevitable.
"There is no chance to bypass the National Coalition," Finland's biggest selling broadsheet newspaper commented.
"It is clear we will have a centre-right government," Risto Penttila, director of the Finnish Business and Policy Forum said.
"It is notable that not only Finland has turned to the centre-right, but that it is part of a wider trend."
Finland's election comes six months after Swedes voted out the Social Democrats and elected a centre-right coalition.