Urpilainen pointed out that a more equitable income distribution would improve competitiveness and help guarantee social harmony.

“Are the other parties and candidates ready to take real action to make high-earners pay their share?” asked Urpilainen. “That is the question in these negotiations.”

The government is to start discussions on the budget agreement this spring to decide where to cut spending and raise taxes.

Urpilainen echoed SDP presidential candidate Paavo Lipponen in saying that it is time the affluent in society bore more of the load, as she claimed it would now make ethical and financial sense to increase taxes on those better equipped to pay them.

She added that the current European economic difficulties are a result of debt-driven right-wing policies, and said that political values are especially important in hard times.

PM: Finland will join ESM

Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen says that both tax hikes and spending cuts will be needed.

He also asserted that Finland will join the European Stability Mechanism, which is to start operations next summer. The PM says that Finnish negotiators are seeking a compromise solution, as Finland is the only country demanding unanimous decision-making on the crisis fund's actions. He also told the news agency Reuters that Finland wants a transaction tax to apply to all EU states, not just those in the eurozone.