By Burak Bir
ISTANBUL (AA) - Finland’s president is prepared to approve a government proposal to recognize the state of Palestine, but the prime minister has urged him to delay publicly endorsing the move due to divisions in the ruling coalition, Finnish media reported on Friday.
A source told public broadcaster YLE that Alexander Stubb informed Premier Petteri Orpo of his intention to declare his support for recognition ahead of an interview. Stubb reportedly said he would be ready to sign off on the proposal, but Orpo maintained the government was not yet ready, citing the fragility of the four-party coalition on what he called a “divisive” issue.
Orpo even interrupted his summer holiday to tell reporters the dispute would not cause the government to collapse, according to the report.
The source said Stubb agreed to consider Orpo’s request to keep his position private, but later told Finnish News Agency STT that he would support Finland recognizing Palestine.
Opposition leader Antti Lindtman, who heads the Social Democratic Party, told a party meeting on Thursday that they would push for a no-confidence vote if the government does not clarify its position by early September.
Last month, Stubb said he was prepared to approve recognition, while the Christian Democrats and the Finns Party voiced opposition.
Amid Israel's continuing genocide in Gaza, several countries, including France, the UK, Malta, Canada, and Portugal, have announced plans to recognize Palestine at the UN General Assembly meeting next month in New York.