Finland turns to the right as country prepares to enter NATO

By JARI TANNER and DAVID KEYTON
Associated Press

HELSINKI (AP) — Finnish voters have given a boost to conservative parties in a weekend election, depriving the popular left-wing Prime Minister Sanna Marin of another term as the country prepares to make its historic entry into NATO in the coming days. Marin won popularity for her Cabinet’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and for her European Union nation’s strong support for Ukraine following Russia’s full-scale invasion last year. But Sunday’s election was largely fought over economic issues, with voters in the nation of 5.5 million people shifting their allegiances significantly to parties on the political right as they seek solutions to rising state debt, inflation and other economic problems.