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For the new Finnish government, “the endurance test has begun,” headlines Lapin Kansa, following the inauguration of the government led by conservative Jyrki Katainen. Constructed after two months of laborious negotiations, the coalition, led by 39-year old Katainen is, in effect, composed of six parties. These include his own National Coalition Party, the Social-Democrat Party, the Left Alliance, the Green League, the Swedish Popular Party and the Christian-Democrats all of which have widely differing political views. The Lapland-based Lapin Kansa greets the new government with caution because of the compromises it has already agreed to during the talks and because of those to which it will have to consent to during its term if it is to avoid implosion.
Despite a breakthrough in the April 17 legislative elections, the True Finns Party will remain in opposition. The populist party withdrew from the talks due to serious disagreements over European policy. The populist True Finns scored electoral victories by criticising the bailout packages for Greece and Portugal. Although Europhile in nature, the new coalition government intends to adopt a firm view on this issue.
A conversation with investigative reporters Stefano Valentino and Giorgio Michalopoulos, who have dissected the dark underbelly of green finance for Voxeurop and won several awards for their work.
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