The Scandinavian “Left turn” in the European Parliament Elections 2024: the Finnish Case

The article explores the political processes of recent years in several Scan-dinavian countries. The author shows how, following the rise of the right-wing radical and nationalist movement and the weakening of centrist forces, left-wing political parties reemerged. The main focus is on the left segment of the political spectrum in Finland (and partly in Sweden). During the elections to the European Parliament the consolidated Left, for the first time after a long break, achieved impressive results. Using various sources and taking into consideration economic, social, political, ideo-logical context of the emerging Left the turn in Finnish life is considered. It is revealed how the new alignment of political forces in Finland has created a situation where the center-right parties are increasingly yielding to the pressure of nationalists, and the main factor in opposing the further shift to the Right of the entire Finnish state machine is the Left. It is also demonstrated that socio-political contradictions are growing as long as the economic situation worsens and the current authorities’ cuts budget allocations for social needs and introduces restrictive measures that directly affect the interests of significant masses of the working population. Although the previous block system, which allowed tactical cooperation has ceased, a new one has not yet been created.

European Parliament, Left Union, True Finns, Social Democratic Party of Finland, Greens, Li Andersson