Slideshow ( 2 images )

HELSINKI (Reuters) - Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipila said on Thursday that he would dissolve his center-right coalition government if it fails to push through its healthcare and local government reform in the coming months.

The reforms, expected to reduce annual costs by 3 billion euros ($3.7 billion), are a cornerstone of the three-party coalition’s plan to balance public finances in the face of fast-ageing population.

Lawmaker Elina Lepomaki from co-ruling NCP party earlier this week voiced her opposition to the plan, raising concerns over whether the government, which controls 105 of the 200 seats in parliament, will be able to push the vote through in June.

“My assumption is that all government parties will stick to the common agreement,” Sipila, who leads the Centre Party, told reporters.

Asked on a possible plan B, Sipila said:

“New elections. This is a huge reform, the biggest in this country since the wars... For us, this is deliver or quit,” he said.

The bill plans to boost competition between public and private healthcare providers by opening up more opportunities to the private sector. It also plans to establish 18 new healthcare regions that will assume the provision of services from more than 300 local governments at present.

Finland’s next general election is scheduled for April 2019.

($1 = 0.8204 euros)