Finns Party: Far-right set for key role in new Finnish coalition

Finland's far-right Finns Party has agreed to enter a coalition government with the centre-right National Coalition Party and two other groups.

The Party, which secured second place in April's election, had sought drastic cuts to immigration during talks.

The minority-language Swedish People's Party and the Christian Democrats will be the other two parties in government.

The new coalition sees outgoing Prime Minister Sanna Marin and her centre-left party ousted from government.

The National Coalition Party came first in the election, winning 48 seats. They were followed by the Finns Party with 46 seats, while Ms Marin's Social Democratic Party finished third with 43 seats.

Grand coalitions between parties of rival ideologies are common in Finland, and the National Coalition Party could have sought to form a government with the Social Democratic party.

But their differences on the economy - with right-wing party seeking massive cuts to public spending - meant that it decided to side with the right-wing groups instead.

The new government will hold 108 of parliament's 200 seats.

"I am proud of the good programme and the result of the negotiations," National Coalition Party leader, Petteri Orpo, told reporters in Helsinki at a press conference with the three other party leaders.

"We have disagreed on some things and I'm sure we still have disagreements, but what unites us is that we want to put Finland in order," Mr Orpo added.

Negotiations between the parties proved difficult and have dragged on for the past 11 weeks, during which Ms Marin remained in office as caretaker prime minister.

Divergence on issues such as immigration and the climate led to clashes between the Finns Party and the Swedish People's Party.

The Finns Party wishes to see Finland exit the EU and wants to delay the country's 2035 carbon neutrality target.

It has been in coalition with the National Coalition Party before - though the coalition ended when the Finns Party split into two factions, the moderates and the hardliners. The hardliners are the only faction still in parliament.

"I would like to thank my colleagues with whom we have managed to find an agreement," Finns Party leader Riikka Purra said.

Incoming centre-right prime minister, Mr Orpo, said his main priority now would be to get Finland's economy back on track.

Parliament will next vote on the appointment of Mr Orpo as prime minister - though no date has yet been set.