Finland European Parliament election 2019 — Results

The vote in brief

Finland held European Parliament elections on 26 May 2019. The National Coalition Party finished first with 20.79% and 3 seats, tied on seats with the Green League (16.00%, 3 seats), which recorded a strong result. The Social Democrats, Finns Party and Centre Party each won 2 seats, with the Left Alliance and Swedish People's Party taking one apiece. Turnout was 40.76%, low by national-election standards but typical for European elections in Finland. Finland was allocated 13 seats, rising to 14 once the United Kingdom left the EU.

Electoral system

Finnish MEPs are elected by open-list proportional representation (d'Hondt) in a single nationwide constituency, mirroring the candidate-centred logic of domestic elections: voters choose an individual candidate, whose votes also count for their party list. The absence of regional districts means national personalities and lead candidates carry particular weight in European contests.

Key parties

The Greens' advance was the headline story, reflecting the salience of climate policy across Europe in 2019 and the party's growing strength among urban, younger voters. The National Coalition Party confirmed its traditional dominance of European elections, in which pro-EU, centre-right parties tend to do well in Finland, while the Eurosceptic Finns Party again underperformed relative to its national results.

The climate dimension

Held just weeks after the 2019 Finnish parliamentary election that had itself been dubbed a "climate election", the European vote extended the same dynamic. The Greens' double-digit share and three seats were part of a broader "green wave" across several EU member states that year, and climate policy dominated the campaign.

Low turnout

Turnout of 40.76% was characteristic of European Parliament elections in Finland, which consistently draw far fewer voters than parliamentary, presidential or even municipal contests. The relatively abstract, supranational nature of the European Parliament and the absence of direct government formation contribute to this persistent gap.

The Brexit seat

Finland was allocated 13 seats for the vote but stood to gain a 14th once the United Kingdom completed its withdrawal from the EU. That additional seat was held in reserve and filled in early 2020 after Brexit took effect, slightly enlarging Finland's delegation mid-term.

Previous election

In the 2014 European election the National Coalition Party had also finished first; the Greens' 2019 surge was the most significant change between the two contests, signalling the rise of environmental politics as a defining issue in Finland and across the EU.

Official source

Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) and the Ministry of Justice election results service — stat.fi.

Compiled and reviewed from official results by ElectioMap. See our data methodology.