On 5 September, the government approved an action plan to combat racism and promote equality, which aims to tackle racist violence and harassment, increase awareness of equality issues, and counter racism and discrimination in working life and education. The action plan comes after racist comments by three different ministers were uncovered by media in 2023. The plan includes increased funding to promote the integration of immigrant mothers into the labour market and a regional pilot project to support highly educated immigrants in accessing internship placements and career development. The government will assess the impact of the measures in 2025.  On 27 August, the government launched the “Actions, not only words” (Me Puhumme Teoin) campaign encouraging commitments from partners, including trade unions and civil society to combat racism in organisational culture and advocate for non-discrimination in operations. Critics, including academics and JHL, the Trade Union for Public and Welfare Sectors, which has refused to participate in the campaign, claim that the government is promoting an anti-racism campaign, while also pursuing policies that undermine equality. 

Sources: Finnish Government (1), Finnish Government (2), International IDEA, Ministry of Justice, Yle, JHL, Me Puhumme Teoin, Helsinki Times 

The government has announced cuts in state support to civil society organisations (CSOs). Cuts were first announced in April as part of austerity measures and were confirmed when the government released the state budget for 2025 in September. Reductions in funding have been announced by the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Foreign Ministry among others, with impacts on CSOs across many sectors. In August, the government confirmed a reduction in funding to social welfare and health organisations by one third by the end of the government term, starting with a reduction of EUR 80 million in 2025. Impacts are expected on a range of organisations, from support services for victims of domestic and sexual violence to organisations providing legal aid to asylum-seekers and refugees. Additionally, the government halted grants for peacebuilding organizations from 2025.  

Sources: Finnish Institute Benelux, Daily Finland, Finnish Government (1), Finnish Government (2), Yle (1), Yle (2), Yle (3), Finland Abroad, Maailma, Kalevi Sorsa Foundation 

On 12 July, Parliament approved legislation providing for temporary border security measures. The law, which entered into force on 22 July, sets out conditions for the Finnish government, in cooperation with the President, to restrict the reception of applications for international protection. The Finnish government has accused Russia of instrumentalised migration, encouraging the movement of migrants in order to pressure Finland. The law makes exceptions in cases involving children, people with disabilities and especially vulnerable migrants. The proposal narrowly passed with 167 votes in favour and 31 against, and will be in effect for one year. Finland closed its border with Russia in November 2023 but continued to provide passage for asylum-seekers. The Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights pointed to weak definition of the nature of a national security threat as well as lack of clarity on the extent to which the justification would be open to public or judicial scrutiny.

Sources: Reuters, Helsink Times, Council of Europe, Politico, Finnish Government, Yle

On 13 June, two children were attacked at a shopping centre in Oulu, northern Finland. A 12-year-old child was stabbed, but both children survived the attack. Police suspect a former member of the Nordic Resistance Movement (PVL), an organization banned in 2020 by Finland’s Supreme Court for hate speech against immigrants and Jews. PVL has a past history of violence. Days later, on 18 June, a teenaged boy stabbed a man who has a foreign background at the same shopping centre in an apparent copycat attack. The police suspect both incidents were racially motivated. The events have sparked debate on right-wing extremist violence and have reportedly diminished feelings of safety among Finland’s immigrant communities. Hate crimes have increased in Finland compared to five years ago, and most are racist crimes according to the Ministry of the Interior, yet violent attacks remain rare. Politicians roundly condemned the attack. A public consultation on the government’s draft action plan for combating racism and promoting equality concluded on 10 June.

Sources: Yle (1), Yle (2), Yle (3), Finnish Government, BBC, International IDEA, Poliisi (1), Poliisi (2), Ministry of the Interior

On 8 May, Parliament passed legislation limiting the length of political strikes to 24 hours and introducing personal fines of EUR 200 for individual employees who continue to participate in strikes found illegal by courts. Additionally, maximum fines for unions found to be organizing illegal strikes were raised from EUR 37,400 to EUR 150,000. Political strikes comprise actions not aimed at collective bargaining, but rather targeting political decision-making. The government says the bill will help reduce labour market disruptions, after months of large-scale and protracted political strikes and industrial action in response to the government’s planned cuts to social security and controversial labour reforms. In mid-April, the International Labour Organization (ILO) sent a letter to the Minister of Labour Arto Satonen urging the government to negotiate with partners on any potential limitations on the right to strike. 

Sources: Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, Yle (1), Yle (2), Yle (3), The Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK), Teollisuusliitto, Eduskunta (1), Eduskunta (2)