HELSINKI : Finns’ Left Turn?
Finns will hold parliamentary elections Sunday in which the Social Democratic Party is expected to rebound into leadership. Political analysts predict a Social Democrat-led coalition government, with party leader Paavo Lipponen, a 53-year-old political scientist and journalist, as prime minister.
Lipponen is credited with rebuilding his party--which was the loser in Finland’s 1991 parliamentary elections--after taking over the leadership last year. He is a firm advocate of Finland’s entry into the European Union, and an acknowledged proponent of efficient markets.
A recession and high unemployment in Finland have hurt the chances of the ruling conservative coalition.
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