Mr Lipponen's thoughts now turn to the new balance of power in a coalition still likely to include the Greens, the ex-communists and a party of ethnic Swedes, as well as the conservatives, who vigorously argue for a fifth nuclear power station for Finland.

ECONOMIST: Finland

More controversially, he thinks Finland should have at least one more nuclear power station.

ECONOMIST: Sauli Niinisto, on Europe��s edge