(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Finland’s three main political parties continue to run neck-and-neck, according to a poll by Taloustutkimus released by YLE Radio News. 22.1 per cent of respondents would vote for the Finnish Centre Party (KESK) in the next general election, 22 per cent would support the National Rally (KOK), and 21.7 per cent would back the Social Democratic Party (SDP). Results have remained practically identical since August.

The Green League (VIHR) is fourth with 10.2 per cent, followed by the Left Wing League (VAS) with 8.7 per cent. Support is lower for True Finns (PERUSS), the Swedish People’s Party (RKP), and the Christian-Democrats (KD).

The KESK’s Matti Vanhanen has been Finland’s prime minister since June 2003, after the resignation of Anneli Jaatteenmaki.

Finnish voters renewed the Diet in March 2007. Final results placed the KESK in first place with 23.1 per cent of the vote and 51 seats, followed closely by the KOK with 22.3 per cent and 50 seats, and the SDP with 21.4 per cent and 45 seats.

In April 2007, Vanhanen formed a coalition government encompassing the KESK, the KOK, the RKP and the VIHR. The four political organizations hold 125 seats in the 200-member Diet. In the previous administration, Vanhanen worked exclusively with the SDP and RKP.

On Sept. 26, Vanhanen proposed that election results be made public as the votes are cast as a way to encourage people to participate in the democratic process. The prime minister also said that advance ballots submitted by absentees should be tallied and their results released at the end of each day. Vanhanen declared: "When people see the impact of the votes each day, enthusiasm for voting would increase and add vigour to campaigning as well."

Polling Data

What party would you support in Finland’s next general election?

Source: Taloustutkimus / YLE Radio News
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 2,900 Finns, conducted in September 2008. Margin of error is 2 per cent.

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