Mari Kiviniemi (centre), the Finnish local government and public administration minister, said Monday she wanted the capital region ruled by "a metropolitan administration" after the 2013 local elections.

She added that the outlines of the administration should be laid down in the government programme after the 2011 general election.

Ms Kiviniemi said a metropolitan administration was needed to prevent the region's councils from heading in disparate directions.

She went on to raise the spectre of a class society, with Espoo and Kauniainen leaving social housing provision to Helsinki to take care of.

Jukka Mäkelä (centre), the chairman of Espoo council and an MP, accused the minister of jumping the gun.

"One should investigate first, but the minister is already showcasing the outcome of a study she just commissioned," Mr Mäkelä said.

Mr Mäkelä went on to reject Ms Kiviniemi's critique of the state of Espoo's social housing by pointing out that the council had been one of the biggest builders of subsidised housing in the country over the last couple of decades.

STT