The Ministry of Justice has agreed with the secretaries of the parliamentary parties that municipal elections should be postponed until 13 June due to the coronavirus situation.
In a tweet, the ministry said that eight out of nine parties backed the delay at a meeting with Justice Minister Anna-Maja Henriksson (SPP).
This ensures that the move will be approved by Parliament, which must ultimately make the decision.
The municipal elections were originally scheduled for 18 April. Advance voting in Finland and abroad was to have begun just over a month from now, on 7 April.
THL: Daily new infections could reach 11,200 by mid-April
Henriksson said that the advance voting period will be lengthened to two weeks, from 26 May to 8 June.
She cited a dire report provided to her by the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) on Friday. The document, which the THL published on Saturday evening, predicts that if current infection trends continue, Finland could see daily new infection levels of 2,600-11,200 by mid-April.
So far the highest daily number of new infections was 797 cases last Wednesday, eclipsing previous high of 720 recorded the previous Friday. There were also more than 700 new cases this past Friday.
The THL noted that due to seasonal variations "it is more likely that by late May and early June the epidemic will be in a calmer phase than on 18 April and that a larger proportion of the [most at-risk] population will be protected by vaccinations" by then.
The tabloid Iltalehti reported on Friday that a rescheduling for June was in the works, along with discussion of a possible delay until next autumn.
Finns Party sole holdout
Only the largest opposition party, the nationalist Finns Party, had said in advance that it was opposed to postponing the elections. Some other parties had also expressed doubts about changing the schedule before Saturday.
A consensus among parties is generally sought on significant election-related decisions.
Prime Minister Sanna Marin's Social Democratic Party was to have held its municipal election campaign launch at noon on Saturday. Shortly after 12, though, the party announced that the event would be moved to a later date.
THL Director: June would be safer
Earlier on Saturday, Markku Tervahauta, Director General of the Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), said that postponing the election would increase their safety.
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"I would assume that compared to mid-April, a couple of months later would be easier from the point of view of health safety," Tervahauta said on the Yle TV1 chat show Ykkösaamu.
He predicted that more people would feel confident about going to polling stations if the elections were postponed.
