New Finnish coalition ousts left-leaning gov't
Four Finnish parties agreed to form a new centre-right coalition government on Sunday, aiming to create jobs and increase social spending while cutting taxes and keeping state finances in surplus. Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen's Centre Party will lead the 20-member cabinet, along with the conservative-leaning National Coalition Party, the Greens and the minority Swedish People's Party.
The swing to the right in the elections meant the ousting of the left-leaning Social Democratic Party from Vanhanen's cabinet, but the new coalition is broadly in agreement on maintaining the welfare system. (Reuters)
