Finland headed to the polls on Sunday to elect thousands of councillors in a range of local and regional bodies.
The Social Democrats took a big win in the municipal elections, taking nearly one in four votes nationwide to push the National Coalition Party of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo into second place.
In the county council elections, for 21 regional bodies that arrange social and healthcare outside Helsinki, the SDP also topped the poll. The Centre Party recorded a good result in its rural heartlands to secure third spot.
Government parties did poorly, with all but the NCP losing support compared to the previous municipal elections in 2021. Turnout in the municipal election was 54.2 percent, while the county elections saw 51.7 percent of eligible voters cast their ballots.
The dual vote for municipal and county councils caused logistical issues for election officials, with counting slower than usual for Finland, where large numbers vote in advance and results are usually clear within a couple of hours of polls closing.
The Finns Party saw support collapse compared to the last municipal election, with the party nearly halving its vote from four years ago. They lost support in several towns that are seeing hospital services cut back as part of the central government’s savings drive.
Here in the Netherlands the far right party became the biggest after the second largest party tried to win votes by saying they think their voters are right (it didn’t, some of their voters moved to the far right party after they validated their points in the open). They are now part of a coalition and for the first time I hear public criticism of their own voters, because exactly as you point out their incompetence is showing. They made promises they can’t keep for example. It’s better they are not the outsider / underdog that can harness the people’s dislike of the government.
I have to say i have heard far more “The kabinet is blocking wilders and thats why he can’t do anything” rethoric then actual criticism from pvv voters on wilders.
I’m not saying they suddenly switched sides, most of him defend him like usual, but there is both people on tv who say they’re disappointed in them as people I know personal. They are losing credibility since they are in the government.