Finland has many political parties also, and the country has been managed by coalitions for many decades - without major problems.

But an interesting back story has just emerged from 1993 (during a centre/right coalition). Finland was apparently very close to financial meltdown in the global conditions of the time. Only by increasing debt to some 6 billion € was disaster averted. Everyone in business was very aware of the conditions - we were all struggling. A friend of mine became bankrupt. Many businesses I was working with cut their communications budgets severely. It was a tough time.

No-one knew how tough until a book just published reveals the touch and go nature of the government's remedies. The principal remedy was to avoid panic. One overleveraged bank - SKOP - disappeared. Another overleveraged bank -KOP - was forced into a merger with SYP, to eventually merge with Swedish banks to become the Nordea of today.

IMO the fact that there was a coalition in place enabled the concensus that was necessary for tough solutions and thus survival.

13 years later, Finland has a lively, diverse and healthy banking system that maybe is the world's most advanced in terms of online transactions. Finand's international debt rating is triple A. The economy is highly competitive in a collaborative sort of way. We are still spending more than anyone else on R&D, and even my local supermarket sells Maldon sea salt ;-)

But it was close - very close, way back in '93

You can't be me, I'm taken