Paavo Arhinmäki (standing), who has led the Left Alliance since last year, is to continue the struggle to turn around the long-term downward trend in the party's support.

The opposition's Left Alliance is starting its three-day party conference in Jyväskylä, central Finland, on Friday.

Paavo Arhinmäki MP, the current chairman, looks sure to continue at the helm of the party as no other candidates for the post have stepped forwards.

The party conference is also to decide on the Left Alliance's political programme for the coming years and gear up for next April's parliamentary elections.

The Left Alliance continues to worry about falling support figures. Last year's decision to elect a politician of the younger generation, the 33-year-old Arhinmäki, to chair the party has not yet shown in opinion polls.

In recent polls support for the Left Alliance has slipped below the 9 per cent mark, just behind the Greens and the True Finns.

STT
STR-Lehtikuva-Seppo Samuli