PM hopes for majority support in parliament

Prime Minister Juha Sipilä on Sunday termed the draft bill for health, social services, and regional government reform a “well functioning compromise”.

Speaking in the Yle’s Prime Minister’s Interview Hour, Sipilä expressed his confidence that the ruling coalition’s majority in parliament will be enough for the bill’s passage, if the agreement is upheld.

He, however, said all compromises are tedious affairs for the parties, including the Suomen Keskusta (Centre Party of Finland), as well as for the prime minister himself.

The reform package now faces some new challenges after Elina Lepomäki, a lawmaker of the Kansallinen Kokoomus (National Coalition Party), the second largest component of the ruling alliance, announced last week that she would vote against the reforms in parliament.

Lepomäki on Wednesday said the draft bill should be thrown out, because it would generate no cost savings and there is no reason to assume that it would improve the quality or accessibility of care services.

According to other critics, too, it is unlikely for the reform package to achieve the original goal of saving 3 billion euros.

The ruling coalition has practically only 105 MPs in parliament, since Speaker Paula Risikko cannot vote.