Wine bottles are unlikely to start appearing on the shelves of Finnish grocery stores for at least another four years, or during this parliamentary term.
Sources close to the government formation talks, currently into their seventh week at the House of the Estates in Helsinki, have told Yle that the parties involved in the negotiations have discussed the further loosening of Finland's alcohol laws.
Although some legislative changes might be expected during this parliamentary term, Yle understands that the possibility of allowing grocery outlets to stock and sell wine is not an option for the Christian Democrats.
Under current Finnish law, stores can sell alcoholic beverages with a strength of no more than 5.5 percent. This followed legislative reform introduced in 2018, when the National Coalition Party (NCP) was last in power.
According to Finnish news agency STT, the most likely compromise is that the percentage limit for the sale of alcohol in grocery stores will be raised to 8 percent. This would mean stores will be permitted to sell stronger beers and ciders, for example, which are currently only available from state-run Alko outlets.
The NCP, which won April's parliamentary elections and is therefore leading the current coalition formation talks, has long pushed for wine to be available in grocery stores. It also wants to change regulations on how bars and restaurants price and sell alcohol.
The Christian Democrats however remain strongly opposed to any major changes to Finland's licensing laws, including the sale of wine in grocery stores, and according to Yle sources the party would have been ready to walk out of the negotiations if such a provision was included in the proposed programme for government.
The issues surrounding the sale of alcohol in Finland has been discussed at the House of the Estates at a table dubbed Kasvun kaava ("Growth formula"). This negotiating table deals with matters such as entrepreneurship, stimulating the market economy and competition, monopolies and dismantling bureaucracy.
Yle understands that the topic became so heated that the issue was moved to the leadership table to be resolved.
"The deadlock over alcohol policy was surprisingly difficult to solve and it took time to unravel it. The main thing was that a solution was found and the caravan rolled on," NCP leader Petteri Orpo said.
Finns Party chair Riikka Purra meanwhile told reporters on Wednesday that her party is on the "more liberal end" of the negotiating parties.
Although the Finns Party used to be opposed to any major changes to the laws on alcohol, an Yle survey of MPs conducted in January this year found a slim majority within the party was in favour of allowing grocery stores to sell wine.
The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has also previously registered its opposition to the further loosening of alcohol laws.
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