'Finnish government to submit formal resignation soon'

Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipila said on Monday that his government will submit a formal resignation soon.

Sipila told a press conference in Helsinki that the Centre Party and National Coalition Party could not be assured of cooperation with the Finns Party on future issues, Xinhua news agency reported.

The prime minister made the announcement following talks with other coalition party leaders on Monday morning. Sipila said the value difference with Jussi Halla-aho, new leader of the Finns Party, was too large.

National Coalition party leader Petteri Orpo underlined that no hatred speech or discrimination was acceptable.

"We believe in international cooperation and want to develop an open and permissive society," he said.

Sipila and Orpo said Halla-aho's views on Finland's relationship with the European Union are not compatible with the government programme.

They said Halla-aho would have liked to keep the Finns Party inside the government. Halla-aho said on Monday afternoon that Sipila could not accept making the Finnish immigration policies tougher.

--IANS

sku/