Yle’s latest monthly voter poll suggests a decline in the prime minister’s profitability Sanna MarinThe Social Democratic Party (SDP), after the party reached a record high, 23.4 percent last month.
The poll is the first since Marin took over his predecessor as chairman of the SDP Antti Rinne At a ceremonial meeting in Tampere, and at the same time during the voting period, the forestry company UPM announced the closure of the Kaipola paper mill in Jämsä, Central Finland.
Research Manager Tuomo Turja opinion poll Economic research said support for the SDP began to decline during the last two weeks of August.
"The decline in SDP support this time comes almost exclusively from retirees and those over 65 years of age. The support of the elderly population for the SDP has fallen very sharply," Turja said.
Marin commented on Yle TV1’s Ykkösaamu chat program on Saturday when he asked why UPM would close a profitable paper mill during the year "Finland’s worst post-war crisis", also proved unpopular with supporters of the business and opposition National Coalition Party (NCP).
Opposition parties compete second
Despite the decline in support, the SDP is still Finland’s most popular party, although competition is intensifying between the two main opposition parties – the NCP and the Finnish party.
Support for the National Contact Point rose by one percentage point – from 17.3% to 18.3% – while the party remained stable at 18.8%.
Both sides are working to build on that momentum next autumn, as the national contact point seeks to challenge the employment measures proposed by the government, while the Finnish party seeks to discuss the EU stimulus package approved by the Prime Minister in June.
"The National Contact Point has received more support, especially from young people and men of working age. Regionally, the support of the national contact point has been strengthened in the party’s strong areas in southern Finland," Turja said.
The Center’s support increased slightly before the director’s vote
The latest Yle poll also suggests that the Central Party leadership competition between the current chairman Katri Kulmuni and the Minister of Science and Culture Annika Saarikko, which is due to be decided by a party vote next weekend, has not significantly affected voter opinions.
Support for the center rose 0.8 per cent to 11.3, but is still a long way from the 17.5 per cent vote the party received in the 2017 municipal elections.
Among other governing parties, support from the Greens, the Left Alliance and the Swedish People’s Party remained virtually unchanged.