SDP selects, Keskusta, Vihreät, Vasemmistoliitto, RKP

SosialidemokraattinenPuolue (Social Democratic Party of Finland-SDP) Chair Antti Rinne on Wednesday confirmed the parties which will enter into negotiations to form the next government, reported the national broadcaster Yle.

Rinne made the announcement at a press briefing on Wednesday morning.

SuomenKeskusta (Centre Party of Finland), Vihreäliitto (Green League), Vasemmistoliitto (Left Alliance), and Suomenruotsalainenkansanpuolue (Swedish People's Party of Finland-RKP) have now been declared the parties to enter into official government formation talks. It would have a majority of 117 seats in the 200-member parliament.

The government in an official press release announced that the negotiations were set to begin at the House of the Estates at 2:15 pm.

The talks were scheduled to start by reviewing the economic, social and ecological situations. A review of the economic situation will be presented by Bank of Finland Governor Olli Rehn and Ministry of Finance State Secretary Martti Hetemäki.

A review of the social situation will be presented by National Institute for Health and Welfare Head of Unit Anne Lounamaa and the review of the ecological situation by Professor of Environmental and Resource Economics Markku Ollikainen from the University of Helsinki.

The two other major parties – Perussuomalaiset (Finns Party) and KansallinenKokoomus – are expected to be in the opposition.

News agency Xinhua adds: After the new coalition plan was made public on Wednesday, observers noted that the talks could still fail. The Keskusta has submitted some policies as a condition for joining the coalition.

"CHANGE OF AN EPOCH"

The prospect of a new coalition has been likened by local observers to a change of an era. A left-center government would greatly reduce the influence of the industries and businesses on politics.

A Finnish language newspaper Keskisuomalainen noted in a Wednesday afternoon editorial that the "working people" have ousted the "capital-owning circles" from the core of power where they have been since the late 1980s almost without interruption.

With its willingness to join the coalition, the Center Party is seen as returning to its traditional ideological role as a defender of the less affluent.

The pro-business line of the previous government, led by Keskusta leader Juha Sipilä, has been seen as a reason for its major losses in the April election. The party was first heading into opposition, but on Tuesday the vast majority of the Center Party's decision makers endorsed joining the coalition.

Teemu Luukka, a commentator for a leading Finnish language daily the Helsingin Sanomat, described as "ironic" that the Center Party would now be joining efforts to reverse the cutbacks in welfare and education.

Rinne, who is likely to become prime minister, clarified on Wednesday that "Sipilä's policies" would not continue.

Talks about the new government's program started on Wednesday afternoon. Rinne said the aim was to conclude the negotiations in less than three weeks, by May 24. The new government could then be appointed at the beginning of June.

Rinne was unwilling to predict how difficult the talks would be. "It is most important to aim at a joint solution in all situations," he said.