The government of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (NCP) sailed through a confidence vote in Parliament on Friday by a margin of 88–63. Nearly a quarter of MPs in the 200-seat legislature were absent.
Three of the four main opposition parties — the Left Alliance, the Social Democrats and the Greens — filed an interpellation last week, which MPs debated on Wednesday.
Led by the Left Alliance, the parties accused the government of raising the poverty rate and the cost of living. They argued that it is the government's fault that Finland's unemployment rate is the highest in the EU, while more people are experiencing homelessness and a record number of debtors face foreclosure.
The government has defended itself by saying that weak economic growth is primarily due to international turmoil, such as the war with Iran, which is undermining growth prospects in Finland.
"Sleeping neighbour" quip draws criticism
The government also defended its cuts to social security, for example, by citing the large national debt and improving incentives to take up work.
During the interpellation debate, Minister of Social Security Sanni Grahn-Laasonen (NCP) aroused opposition ire with a comment about the need for incentives.
"The system must also be fair to those who wake up in the morning to go to a low-paid job while their neighbour stays asleep," she said.
The left-wing opposition slammed the statement as "incredibly arrogant" while implying that jobseekers are lazy. Both Orpo and Grahn-Laasonen have disputed that interpretation.
