The leader of Finland's government formation talks, Petteri Orpo (NCP), said on Monday that he anticipates seeing a lot of progress this week.
Monday's gathering of MPs representing the NCP, Finns Party, Swedish People's Party and the Christian Democrats at Helsinki's House of the Estates marked the beginning of the third week of government formation talks.
"We would like for the work to be ready in early June, but [it should happen] before Midsummer at the latest," Orpo said on Monday morning.
He noted that negotiations could continue on Thursday, despite it being Ascension Day, a national holiday. Work on forming the government is also planned to continue on Friday and Saturday.
Orpo noted that the negotiators have already consulted with around 800 experts over the past two weeks, most of which were officials from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment as well as the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.
"The biggest step is the step forward we are taking. The economic situation is extremely difficult," he said, adding that the most challenging issues facing the negotiators are immigration policies and social and health care-related matters.
"[Social and health care] is in a crisis. From beginning to end. We need a large amount of extra funding for it," he said.
Halla-aho and international aid
As he arrived at the House of Estates on Monday morning, Jussi Halla-aho (Finns) said that the most challenging questions will be tackled this week.
"For the Finns Party, the decisive issues are those for which we were elected — everyday costs of living, immigration, prioritising the use of public funds," Halla-aho explained.
The previous leader of the Finns Party, Halla-aho said negotiators had spent a good amount of time discussing development cooperation appropriations, which include funding for international humanitarian assistance programmes, for example.
He said that cuts to such programmes must be made, but the size of those cuts remains to be seen.
Orpo thanks bank tycoon for tax advice
On Monday morning's edition of Yle TV1's breakfast programme, Ylen Ykkösaamu, Finnish bank tycoon Björn 'Nalle' Wahlroos sent his greetings to the government negotiators, along with the message that he does not recommend general reductions of income taxes.
Instead, Wahlroos urged the next government to pay more attention to corporate tax cuts, as he thinks income tax reductions are ineffective.
In response, PM-elect Orpo thanked Wahlroos for the greetings, adding that the topic of taxation is being discussed at the House of Estates.
"We should keep our corporate taxation competitive," he said, adding that he thinks adjusting income taxes is a way to help people manage their everyday lives.
"We should respond to the tough economic situation in such a way that people have a little more money in their hands," he said.
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