Finland's National Coalition Party wins elections in neck and neck race

By Ahmet Gencturk

ATHENS (AA) - Finland is likely to get a new prime minister as the liberal-conservative National Coalition Party (Kokoomus) won the parliamentary elections on Sunday by a narrow margin with nearly 99% of the votes having been counted.

According to public broadcaster YLE, the party, led by senior politician Antti Petteri Orpo, secured 48 seats, 10 more than it won in the 2019 elections, of the country's 200-seat parliament with 20.8% of the vote.

The right-wing populist The Finns Party (PS) received 20.1% of the votes and gained 46 seats, up from 39 in 2019.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sanna Marin’s Social Democratic Party( SDP) finished in third place and secured 43 seats with 19.9%.

The agrarian Centre Party suffered a major defeat and lost eight of its 31 seats with 11.4%, while The Left Alliance lost five of its 11 seats with 7.1%.

The Green Party received 7% of the votes and gained 13 seats, down from 20 in the 2019 elections.