Tensions are mounting within Finland's governing coalition as MPs prepare to vote next week on plans to scale back the country's hospital network.
The proposals, which have sparked significant opposition in affected regions, have exposed fractures in both the Finns Party and the National Coalition Party (NCP).
Mikko Lundén and Antti Kangas, MPs from the Finns Party, have announced they will not support the government's proposal. Kangas revealed that other party members are also reconsidering their stance, with MP Ritva Elomaa (Finns) among those undecided.
Criticism has also emerged from the ranks of the National Coalition Party. Markku Eestilä, an MP representing Iisalmi, has stated he will not back the proposed cuts. Both Lundén and Eestilä hail from regions where services would be adversely affected, with hospitals in Salo and Iisalmi set to face reductions.
The planned cuts would see the end of primary healthcare night shifts in Raahe, Iisalmi, Varkaus and Jämsä. Additionally, the 24-hour emergency room coverage required for operating room readiness would be discontinued in Kemi, Savonlinna, Oulainen, Salo and Valkeakoski.
While Kouvola's night services were initially on the chopping block, the government later reversed its decision.
Internal divisions and potential repercussions
MPs who vote against the government's proposal may face disciplinary measures within their parties. The Finns Party leadership has signalled that MPs will not have a free vote on the matter.
MP Jani Mäkelä, chair of the Finns Party's parliamentary group, defended members' right to voice concerns but emphasised that votes in the chamber are a different matter.
"However, as MPs in the government, we vote in favour of government proposals," Mäkelä asserted, adding that the Finns Party is likely to address dissenting views in a meeting on Thursday.
He acknowledged the localised nature of MPs' concerns, particularly regarding their own regions' hospitals.
Similarly, MP Matias Marttinen, chair of the National Coalition Party's parliamentary group, confirmed that members of his party would be expected to vote in line with the government.
"We negotiate decisions together and take them forward together in Parliament," he said, stressing that free votes will not be permitted.
Opposition MPs have criticised the proposed changes, highlighting the potential risks to patient safety and the challenges posed by longer travel distances to access healthcare services. The government, however, remains committed to moving forward with the plan, despite resistance within its own ranks.
The parliamentary vote on the hospital cuts is scheduled for next Tuesday. The outcome will be closely watched as a test of the coalition's unity and its ability to push through unpopular reforms.
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