Former tech exec to be Finland's next PM

After only a few years of party leadership, Finland's next prime minister, Juha Sipila, beat electoral expectations by emphasizing his business acumen as a telecom executive worth millions while maintaining traditional Finnish roots that emphasize self-sufficiency.

The vote in Finland on Sunday determined which coalition could lift the country out of a three-year recession. Sipila's opposition Center Party took an early lead over the ruling conservatives whose leader, Prime Minister Alexander Stubb, acknowledged his government was slow to enact economic reforms.

The conservatives were pitted against their Social Democratic government partner and the anti-immigration Finns Party that wants Greece ousted from the euro. 

The Center Party led the Finnish government from 2007 to 2011 but suffered a major loss in 2011 elections after the emergence of suspicious funding arrangements by some party members.

Sipila, who says Finland is ready for “a shake-up and brave decisions,” has a good chance to rally support from prospective government partners to form the next coalition government, according to Jan Sundberg, professor of politics at the University of Helsinki.

“I'm quite sure that he could form a Cabinet that seems to be one that can do something,” Sundberg said. “More than the past ones.”

Campaigning was dominated by arguments over unemployment, benefit cuts and the rising national debt, but party leaders appeared unable to agree on solutions. Few voters expressed excitement about the outcome.

“Things will get even worse during the next government, whoever is in power. There is no magic wand,” Timo Muinonen, a retired managing director, said after casting his vote in central Helsinki. “I voted, but I don't think it will help.”

While campaigning, Sipila, a relative newcomer to national politics, toed a careful line in debates and was criticized for hiding his cards for fear of losing momentum.

Sipila was critical of a recent hawkish Nordic defense ministers' joint statement over Russia, and unlike Stubb, the outgoing pro-NATO prime minister, he sees military non-alignment as the best solution for Finland.

Sipila rose through the ranks at the mobile phone network component maker Solitra, becoming chief executive and majority owner. In 1996, he pocketed around $41 million when U.S.-based ADC Communications bought Solitra.

The economic crisis reflects the decline of former cellphone powerhouse Nokia whose innovations inspired a thriving startup industry, known for such mobile game hits as Angry Birds and Clash of Clans. But such successes have been too modest to lift Finland's export-driven economy, which suffers from the EU's prevailing economic doldrums and declining trade with its eastern neighbor, sanctions-hit Russia.

The key forestry sector is also facing lower demand for paper products as more publications go digital.

Wire services