Govt, minister survive no-confidence motions

The four-party alliance right-wing government and Minister of Social Affairs and Health Kaisa Juuso on Friday survived separate no-confidence motions brought against them in the parliament by the opposition parties.

The government faced the no-confidence motion for the planned budget cuts in the healthcare and social services sector while the minister faced the motion for her remark that she was surprised by the government's decision to cut 100 million euros for social services from the budget.

Kaisa Juuso survived the motion by 85 votes to 69 with 45 lawmakers remaining absent and no one abstained.

Opposition Vasemmistoliitto (Left Alliance) brought the motion against the minister, which was also supported by the main opposition Suomen Sosialidemokraattinen Puolue (Social Democratic Party of Finland-SDP) and Suomen Keskusta (Centre Party of Finland).

The government won the motion brought by all the opposition parties by 86 votes to 69.

The government led by conservative Kansallinen Kokoomus (National Coalition Party-NCP) on April 16 announced further spending cuts of three billion euros and increase in the Value Added Tax (VAT) as a part its austerity measures.