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| Finland holds general election |
| Helsinky, 17.04.2011 |
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| A nationalist party that rejects bail-outs for Portugal and other debt-ridden eurozone members is expected to make strong gains in Finland's election but remains unlikely to join the next government, according to a series of recent polls.
The opposition True Finns party, which opposes immigration and rescue funds for what it calls Europe's "squanderers," has quadrupled its support since the last election and is poised to finish among the top four.
The True Finns' rise has led to worries in eurozone economies over whether they can count on Finland's support for bail-out funds, which must be unanimously approved by the 17 countries using the euro.
However, recent surveys show the nationalists are not likely to get enough support to break up the current pro-bail-out government - a four-party coalition led by Prime Minister Mari Kiviniemi's Centre Party and the conservative National Coalition Party.
True Finns leader Timo Soini believes his party is now big enough to deserve seats in the next government, though he realises that his stance on European rescue funds is problematic for others parties.
"But everything is possible. If we could agree on a program, then who knows?" Mr Soini said.
A poll presented on Thursday by public broadcaster YLE showed the National Coalition winning the election with 21.2% support ahead of the Centre Party with 18.6%. Together with their two smaller coalition partners they would have a combined 53%, enough to keep their majority in Parliament.
The main opposition Social Democrats - who like the True Finns are sceptical about eurozone bail-outs - got 18% support in the poll while the True Finns scored 15.4%. That's lower than in previous polls but a sharp increase from the 4% they won in the last election in 2007.
Keeping all options open, Ms Kiviniemi, didn't rule out coalition talks with any of the other leaders.
"I can work with all the parties, and all the leaders of the other parties," she said in Helsinki. "But we must first wait for the results of the elections, so then we are ready to start negotiating the next government's program."
Press Association
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