That it would be about three parties, all with roughly equal support, was clear long before election day.
When the polls closed on Sunday evening, the results of the early voting were announced. At that time, the National Coalition Party was just ahead of the Social Democrats with 20.8 percent against 20.7 percent. But it was expected that the Social Democrats would lose when more and more districts were counted, and likewise that the True Finns, who were just behind at 18.6 percent, would eat their way up.
This was also evident when YLE's election forecast was presented, barely two hours later. There, the Coalition Party was predicted to get 20.9 per cent of the votes, the Finns Party 20.5 per cent and the Social Democrats 19.6 per cent.
The numbers would change a little but the order of magnitude would stand. When the evening was over, the score was 20.8, 20.1 and 19.9 with the National Coalition Party and the Finns Party as the big winners.
"It feels good in my heart and it is clear that people want a change, our policy has the support of the population," National Coalition Party leader Petteri Orpo told Swedish Yle after declaring his party the winner of the election campaign.
Sanna Marin: Democracy has spoken
Incumbent Prime Minister Sanna Marin and the Social Democrats managed to advance from the previous election, but the two major parties on the right went over and past anyway.
"The people have cast their votes. Democracy has spoken," said Sanna Marin at the Social Democrats' election vigil after acknowledging the loss.
Learn to seek collaboration to the right
In all likelihood, the National Coalition Party, which will have the chance to probe the ground for a new government first, will turn against the True Finns. However, it is not entirely certain as Finland does not have the same pronounced bloc policy as Sweden and such promises have not been made in advance.
For the True Finns, who want to see a tightened immigration policy, it was a major election victory as the party received more votes than ever.