A new opinion poll has revealed that popular support for both the national-conservative Finns Party (PS) and the center-Right National Coalition Party (Kok) have exceeded that of Prime Minister Sanna Marin’s left-liberal Social Democratic Party.
The survey, carried out by the Finnish market research firm Taloustutkimus, indicated that if elections were held today, the right-wing sovereigntist Finns Party (PS) would garner 19.3% of the vote, while the National Coalition Party (Kok) would come in first place, collecting 23% of the vote, Finland’s national public broadcaster company Yle reports.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sanna Marin’s Social Democratic Party, the senior member the ruling five-party coalition, would receive 18.8% of the national vote, behind Finland two main, right-of-center parties.
At the same time, collective support for the remaining four parties—the Center Party, the Greens, Left Alliance, and the Swedish People’s Party of Finland—has dropped to 33.1%.
“First of all, the Finns Party has witnessed its support increase among women. In fact, the entire increase comes from women,” Tuomo Turja, the director of research at Taloustuikkumas, told the Finnish broadcaster, adding that the national-conservative party has also syphoned off a considerable number of voters from middle-class parties and some from traditionally working-class Left parties.
“There is no clear explanation for the decline in support for the coalition. The percentage unit is a fairly moderate decrease. The coalition holds onto its old voters very well,” Turja said.
“The situation of the Social Democratic Party as the main government party is still very good. If you think about previous situations at this stage before the elections, the main government party has been in a clearly weaker position.”
Days ago, while speaking to Yle about her party’s rising numbers in the polls, Riikka Purra, the chairwoman of the Finns Party, said:
It would be pretty crazy if the number-one spot wasn’t the party’s goal. Of course that’s the goal. The government is where legislative changes are made, where you take care of this party. An opposition party doesn’t have that opportunity. It feels like citizens want change, and hopefully they understand that the only way to create change is to vote in the elections.
The latest polling data comes several months after pictures and video footage showed Prime Minister Marin, who is married, intimately dancing with Finnish pop star Olavi Uusivirta. Allegations of drug use were made as well. However, shortly thereafter, the prime minister passed a drug test.
Finland’s parliamentary elections are set to take place later this year, on April 2nd, 2023.
