Oikeisto

Oikeisto, meaning “the right” in Finnish, is a political label used to describe ideologies and movements on the right side of the political spectrum. In Finnish discourse, oikeisto typically encompasses conservative, liberal-conservative, or market-liberal positions that favor private property, free-market economics, limited government intervention, strong national defense, and traditional social values. It is a descriptive term rather than a formal party name, applied to parties and groups across a range from centre-right to nationalist or populist currents.

Within Finland, the best-known representative of oikeisto is the National Coalition Party (Kokoomus), a centre-right party founded in 1899, which advocates market economy, European Union integration, and business-friendly policies. Other right-leaning currents include liberal-conservative and agrarian-right groups, and in recent decades some factions identified as right-wing populist have appeared, notably within the Finns Party. The term is sometimes used in public debate to contrast oikeisto with vasemmisto (the left), but it does not denote a fixed bloc.

Historically, the concept of oikeisto has roots in the period around Finnish independence and the 1918 civil war, when the Whites opposed the Reds. After independence, right-leaning elites and parties played a dominant role in various coalitions during the early to mid-20th century; Kokoomus emerged as the main parliamentary force on the right and has occupied government roles in several coalitions in later decades. In the 21st century, oikeisto remains a widely used label in Finnish political journalism and discourse, though the exact composition of the right has shifted with party changes and new movements.