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Finland PM has 'slim poll lead' Finnish PM in razor-thin poll win
(about 1 hour later)
Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen's Centre Party has a slender lead in the country's general election, early poll results indicate. Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen's Centre Party has won the country's general election by the slimmest of margins, official poll results show.
Mr Vanhanen's party took 23% of votes but the conservatives made gains and remained a close second with 22.3%. Mr Vanhanen's party gained a single extra parliamentary seat than the Conservatives, who came a close second.
The Social Democrats, who form part of Finland's centre-left coalition government, came third with 21.5%. The Social Democrats, who form part of Finland's centre-left coalition government, were third.
Mr Vanhanen said the results, based on 80% of the votes counted, remained "too close to call." "We did it!" Mr Vanhanen said after official results were announced with 99% of the votes counted.
"We're in the top three, but we don't know if we are first, second or third. Any one of these parties could turn out to be the largest," he said. "The result is clear. We are number one in votes and number one in seats," he told supporters at a central Helsinki hotel.
The Conservative National Coalition Party took 50 seats in the 200-member parliament and current coalition partner the Social Democrats secured 45 seats.
Coalition shift?Coalition shift?
The gains of the Conservative National Coalition Party could lead to the creation of a new centre-right government, pushing the Social Democrats into opposition for the first time in over a decade. The gains of the Conservatives could lead to the creation of a new centre-right government, pushing the Social Democrats into opposition for the first time in over a decade.
The BBC's Julian Isherwood in the region says the main interest in the election will be whether Mr Vanhanen manages to meet off a challenge from his Social Democratic Finance Minister Eero Heinaluoma. The BBC's Nordic correspondent Julian Isherwood says the main interest in the election will be whether Mr Vanhanen manages to meet off a challenge from his Social Democratic Finance Minister Eero Heinaluoma.
The largest party in the polls traditionally forms a parliamentary majority and names the prime minister.The largest party in the polls traditionally forms a parliamentary majority and names the prime minister.
The main issues in the election campaign have been welfare and the level of further tax cuts that the government wants to introduce.The main issues in the election campaign have been welfare and the level of further tax cuts that the government wants to introduce.
Care for the elderly has been a major issue since Finland, with some 5.3 million citizens, has one of Europe's most rapidly ageing populations.Care for the elderly has been a major issue since Finland, with some 5.3 million citizens, has one of Europe's most rapidly ageing populations.