Finland's entire government just resigned
 
 
Finland's president is out. And so is his cabinet. And everyone else at the top of the government.
Prime Minister Juha Sipilä, who's led the country since 2015, resigned Friday after his package of health care and other welfare programs flopped. His entire cabinet quickly followed suit, though President Sauli Niinistö and the rest of the cabinet will stay in their jobs until next month's election, BBC reports.
Sipilä introduced the massive social welfare overhaul in an attempt to save the country an estimated $3.4 billion over the next decade, The Wall Street Journal notes. Finland's population is aging, and without these economic reforms, Sipilä told reporters Friday that "there is no other way for Finland to succeed." But Finland's parliament disagreed, voting down the package and saying it was unconstitutional. Sipilä accepted "responsibility" for the defeat, saying his "government works on a 'result or out' principle," Reuters reports.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
 
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The center-right party's reforms included condensing the 295 municipalities that currently oversee welfare programs into 18 elected authorities. It also would let citizens choose between public and private health care providers, channeling nearby Sweden's system.
Sipilä's resignation comes just a month before the country's scheduled April 14 election. The country has been facing a harsh economic outlook for years, and Sipilä promised to use his entrepreneurial background to turn it around.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
- 
 How Mike Johnson is rendering the House ‘irrelevant’ How Mike Johnson is rendering the House ‘irrelevant’Talking Points Speaker has put the House on indefinite hiatus 
- 
 Lazarus: Harlan Coben’s ‘embarrassingly compelling’ thriller Lazarus: Harlan Coben’s ‘embarrassingly compelling’ thrillerThe Week Recommends Bill Nighy and Sam Claflin play father-and-son psychiatrists in this ‘precision-engineered’ crime drama 
- 
 Dutch center-left rises in election as far-right falls Dutch center-left rises in election as far-right fallsSpeed Read The country’s other parties have ruled against forming a coalition 
- 
 Senate votes to kill Trump’s Brazil tariff Senate votes to kill Trump’s Brazil tariffSpeed Read Five Senate Republicans joined the Democrats in rebuking Trump’s import tax 
- 
 Border Patrol gets scrutiny in court, gains power in ICE Border Patrol gets scrutiny in court, gains power in ICESpeed Read Half of the new ICE directors are reportedly from DHS’s more aggressive Customs and Border Protection branch 
- 
 Shutdown stalemate nears key pain points Shutdown stalemate nears key pain pointsSpeed Read A federal employee union called for the Democrats to to stand down four weeks into the government standoff 
- 
 Trump vows new tariffs on Canada over Reagan ad Trump vows new tariffs on Canada over Reagan adspeed read The ad that offended the president has Ronald Reagan explaining why import taxes hurt the economy 
- 
 NY attorney general asks public for ICE raid footage NY attorney general asks public for ICE raid footageSpeed Read Rep. Dan Goldman claims ICE wrongly detained four US citizens in the Canal Street raid and held them for a whole day without charges 
- 
 Trump’s huge ballroom to replace razed East Wing Trump’s huge ballroom to replace razed East WingSpeed Read The White House’s east wing is being torn down amid ballroom construction 
- 
 Trump expands boat strikes to Pacific, killing 5 more Trump expands boat strikes to Pacific, killing 5 moreSpeed Read The US military destroyed two more alleged drug smuggling boats in international waters 
- 
 Trump demands millions from his administration Trump demands millions from his administrationSpeed Read The president has requested $230 million in compensation from the Justice Department for previous federal investigations 
