HELSINKI (AFP) -- Finland's Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen said on Wednesday that negotiations to form a new center-right coalition government were underway following his party's narrow victory in last month's elections.

"The parliamentary group of the Finnish Center Party, the parliamentary group of the National Coalition Party, Green Parliamentary group and the Swedish Parliamentary Group have decided to continue the negotiations to form a new government," Vanhanen told a press conference.

Vanhanen's Center Party emerged from the March 18 elections with just a one seat advantage over the conservative opposition which will have 51 seats in the Finnish parliament.

If the parties agree to form a new government Vanhanen will lead a center-right coalition, a new direction for Finland, after four years under a center-left government.

Official negotiations on forming the next government begin on April 11 and will last four to five days. President Tarja Halonen will name the new government on April 19.