Iran Press/ Europe: Finland’s right-wing opposition National Coalition Party leader Petteri Orpo has claimed victory in the Nordic country’s tightly-fought parliamentary election.
Finland’s Prime Minister Sanna Marin of the ruling Social Democratic Party conceded defeat in the close-fought election for parliament.
“Congratulations to the winner of the elections, congratulations to the [conservative] National Coalition Party, congratulations to the [far-right] Finns Party. Democracy has spoken,” Marin told her supporters.
With 93.4 percent of the votes counted, Orpo’s party looks set to get the most seats in parliament, 48 out of 200 in total. The party has 20.5 percent support among votes cast, justice ministry election data showed.
With the top three parties expected to each get around 20 percent of the vote, no party is in a position to form a government alone. 219