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Liberals, centrists keep their position as largest parties in the Parliament of Aland

Liberal leader says she is ready to lead next government

Katrin Sjögren, Aland
Katrin Sjögren. Author: Magnus Fröderberg/norden.org
The Liberals for Aland and Aland Centre, with 7 seats each, are the winners of the legislative election led yesterday in those Finland's self-governing islands. Both parties are thus again the two largest ones in the Alandic Parliament: in the 2011 election the centrists got 7 seats and the liberals, 6.

The Social Democrats and the Moderates of Åland, with 5 seats each, have come in third and fourth place, in an election that has witnessed a new political forces making it into Parliament, the Aland Democrats, which was running for election under a platform against the reception of more refugees to the islands. The Democrats have secured one seat.

Liberal party leader Katrin Sjögren yesterday said she was ready to lead the new government, which will need the support from at least three parties. The single candidate receiving the most votes was  current PM and Social Democrat leader Camilla Gunell.

Pro-independence party loses ground

The islands' only pro-independence party, Future of Aland, suffered a setback as it lost one of three seats it formerly held. The 30-member Parliament will be completed by the Not Aligned Coalition, which despite a deep crisis suffered over the 2011-2015 term has managed to secure three out of four seats it had.

Keywords: election, Finland