HELSINKI - Finland’s coalition government resigned on Friday a month ahead of a general election, saying it could not deliver on a healthcare reform package that is widely seen as crucial to securing long-term government finances.
“The picture I’ve got over the last few days from parliament forces me to draw conclusions. There is no way ahead. I am hugely disappointed,” Centre Party Prime Minister Juha Sipila told reporters at a news conference.Parliament’s constitutional committee said the reform package was unconstitutional and required significant changes the government did not have time to implement before the scheduled elections.
Other Nordic countries have also grappled with the need to cut costs. Sweden is to gradually raise its retirement age and has opened up parts of the healthcare system to the private sector in a bid to boost efficiency. The problem has been particularly acute in Finland where the financial crisis of 2008-9 magnified the effects of demographic changes such as a rapidly declining birth rate.
The latest poll by national broadcaster YLE puts the Social Democrats on 21.3 percent ahead of the National Coalition Party on 16.2 percent and the Centre on 14.1 percent.In the 2015 general election Sipila’s Centre party topped the poll with 21.2 percent of the vote.
Why can’t TMs cabinet quit over lack of brexit plan?
Is everybody Happy.
More to this story!!
Nippy will no doubt have been down to Trailfinders to book her tickets to Helsinki to pass on her 'expertise' on ruining a health system.
From the article: Healthcare systems across the developed world are under increasing stress in recent years as treatment costs soar. Nordic countries, where comprehensive welfare is the cornerstone of the social model, have been among the most affected.
Oh dear. Trouble in paradise.
davidmacdougall
Nordic model not as advertised by theSNP.
Health care case is always panic for all government. Hospital is always crowded in public hospital, when private is too expensive to afford.