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https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/finland/finland-celebrates-independence-day/

Finland

Finland celebrates Independence Day

Published December 6, 2024 – By Ivana Bratovanova
3 minute read
Ivana Bratovanova
ivana.bratovanova@nordictimes.com

On December 6, Finland celebrates its Independence day commemorating the Declaration of Independence from Russia in 1917. The day is marked by national ceremonies, cultural activities, and the Presidential Independence day reception held at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki.

Finland declared its independence from Russia on 6 December 1917. The declaration was made by the Finnish parliament, which voted to establish Finland as an independent republic. This followed a period of autonomy under Russian rule that began in 1809 when Finland became a Grand Duchy.

Finnish Independence Day candles. Photo: janica/iStock

A central event of Finland’s Independence day is the Independence day reception, held at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki since its beginning in 1919. The event is attended by members of parliament, diplomats, and individuals who have contributed to Finnish society in areas such as business, culture and science. It is broadcast live on Finnish television, with a significant viewership each year, including a record 3.6 million viewers in 2017, marking Finland's 100th anniversary of independence.

President Alexander Stubb shared “I hope that as Finns celebrate Independence day, they reflect on what independence and self-determination mean to them. That’s why my wife and I chose 'together' as the theme for [the Independence day gala]”. “I would hope that the division could be forgotten, at least on Independence day, and that we could behave towards each other in a civilized manner”, he added.

The announcement follows plans for demonstrations in Helsinki by right- and left-wing groups, which police expect to draw thousands of participants. The 612 march - which is seen by some as a problematic manifestation of far-right extremism, and by others as a nationalist event highlighting patriotic values, and emphasizing the importance of freedom of assembly and speech - and the counter-protest “Helsinki without Nazis” are both scheduled to converge near Töölöntori. Chief Inspector Heikki Porola stated that police are monitoring the situation closely and taking measures to ensure public safety during the demonstrations.

In addition to the reception, several other events take place throughout Finland. The day begins with church services, including a special service at Helsinki Cathedral, and ceremonies at the Soldiers’ grave at Hietaniemi cemetery, where floral tributes are placed to honor those who died for Finland’s independence.

At 5 pm EET, the University students’ torch parade takes place, beginning at Hietaniemi cemetery and proceeding through central Helsinki to Senate Square. A tradition followed by many Finnish households is the lighting of two candles on window sills at 6 PM. According to a local legend, the candles were used as a sign to inform young Finnish men on their way to Sweden and Germany to become jägers that the house was ready to offer shelter and keep them hidden from the Russians.

Finland Independence Day Student Parade. Photo: Ninaras, CC BY 4.0

In Helsinki, there are multiple cultural activities such as museum exhibitions, guided tours and the Christmas Market at Senate Square, which runs from 11 am to 8 pm EET. Museums such as the Military museum of Finland on Suomenlinna, Kiasma, HAM Helsinki art museum and Ateneum art museum offer special exhibitions throughout the day. There are also guided tours of the city, including the CityTour and various walking tours.

Special Independence day menus are served in many of Helsinki’s restaurants. Venues like Krog Roba and Kulosaaren Casino offer festive meals, while other local restaurants provide traditional Finnish dishes. Many cafés and shops, such as Café Ekberg and Fazer Café, also feature special offerings for the holiday.

Ivana Bratovanova
ivana.bratovanova@nordictimes.com

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https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/finland/finland-to-allow-wolf-hunting-next-year/

Finland

Finland to allow wolf hunting next year

Published yesterday 8:42 am – By Editorial staff
1 minute read
Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

The Finnish government presented new legislation on Thursday that will allow population management wolf hunting next year. 65 wolves are to be shot next year.

The Natural Resources Institute Finland estimated earlier this fall that there are approximately 430 wolves in Finland and that the population has increased by 46 percent in the past year. The sharp increase has prompted the government to allow hunting to reduce problems.

Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Sari Essayah justifies the decision by noting that wolves are moving increasingly closer to populated areas.

— The goal is legislation that can sustainably and long-term reduce the problems caused by wolves, she tells Finnish national broadcaster Yle.

Martin Hägglund, chairman of the game council in Southwest Finland, welcomes the proposal.

— There are too many wolves in certain parts of Finland. Therefore, we have problems that we must address, he says.

But environmental organization Nature & Environment is critical. According to executive director Jonas Heikkilä, the wolf population is not sufficiently viable for hunting. He believes the wolf population should be around 500 individuals to be classified as viable.

— Now it just feels like the government is pushing through regional politics, he says.

The legislative changes are made possible by the EU Council of Ministers' decision this summer to downgrade the wolf's protection status from strictly protected to protected. The changes are set to take effect in January 2026 after being processed by the Finnish Parliament.

Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/finland/concerns-about-childrens-safety-at-finnish-daycare-centers/

Finland

Concerns about children’s safety at Finnish daycare centers

Welfare collapse

Published November 19, 2025 – By Editorial staff
2 minute read
Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

A large proportion of staff at Finnish Swedish-speaking daycare centers feel that the environment is unsafe for children. Staff shortages are identified as the main issue.

In April 2025, Finnish public broadcaster Yle sent out a survey to over a thousand employees in early childhood education in Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa, Kyrkslätt, and Kauniainen. A total of 324 people responded to the survey.

The results show that six out of ten employees feel that the environment is physically or emotionally unsafe for children. Staff shortages are identified as the recurring problem. Nearly 200 people describe in their open-ended responses situations where too few adults are responsible for too many children.

— Staff have been replaced in quite a short time, in several groups. It affects the children's safety and well-being greatly, says Marika, who works at a daycare center, to Yle.

Early morning hours and late afternoons are particularly critical. Marika reports that on one occasion she was solely responsible for thirteen children under three years old. According to Finnish law, there must be at least one qualified person per maximum of four children under three years old. However, by calculating an average for the entire day, daycare centers can meet the requirement statistically.

Only one-third of all respondents believe they will still be working at the same daycare center in five years.

Jenni Tirronen, head of early childhood education in Helsinki, confirms that burnout is a major problem.

— We are naturally very concerned about the burnout. Our own staff survey shows that approximately 60 percent of our employees feel that they do not recover sufficiently after the workday, says Tirronen.

Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/finland/more-finns-are-reporting-police-officers/

Finland

More Finns are reporting police officers

Published November 17, 2025 – By Editorial staff
1 minute read
Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

An increasing number of Finns are filing police reports against individual officers. Over 1,100 reports have already been filed this year – several hundred more than during all of last year.

The figures come from the Finnish newspaper group Uutissuomalainen. These are reports filed against individual police officers for suspected official misconduct, not complaints against the police authority as an organization.

Markus Laine, a police legal advisor at the Police Department in Southwest Finland, explains that the majority of reports stem from general dissatisfaction with police actions.

— It could be, for example, that someone is dissatisfied that a preliminary investigation was never initiated or that it was discontinued. It's also common for someone to feel they were wrongly detained in town, for instance when the person was under the influence, Laine tells Finnish national broadcaster Yle.

Issued fines can also sometimes result in the person fined filing a report against the police.

Despite the high number of reports, only about ten percent lead to prosecution review. Disciplinary actions such as suspension or dismissal are rare and involve only a few cases per year.

According to the Finnish Police Barometer, public trust in the police stands at 92 percent. However, certain groups deviate significantly from the average. Victims of sexual crimes or intimate partner violence, people subjected to human trafficking, and sexual minorities show considerably lower trust figures.

Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/finland/finlands-former-president-europe-should-speak-directly-with-putin/

Finland

Finland’s former president: Europe should speak directly with Putin

Published November 11, 2025 – By Editorial staff
Finnish former President Sauli Niinistö believes that Europe must remain European.
2 minute read
Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Finland's former president Sauli Niinistö believes that European leaders should engage in direct talks with Moscow instead of relying solely on information from Donald Trump. He also warns that Europe is losing its role as a global power.

Niinistö criticizes the current situation where European countries lack direct contact with Russian leaders, while US President Donald Trump negotiates with Russian President Vladimir Putin about Ukraine's future. Niinistö argues that Europe should instead initiate direct talks with Russia to influence the outcome of the war.

— French President Emmanuel Macron is likely the last one to have called, and before that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz about a year ago. And he was criticized for it, Niinistö told Finnish public broadcaster Yle.

He defended Scholz's decision to contact the Kremlin and describes the current situation as absurd.

— I defended him and still think that it is in a way an absurd situation that Europeans say they won't talk to the war criminal Putin. But Trump does it, and then we go and hear what they talked about, he explained.

Niinistö points out the paradox that Europeans are simultaneously worried that Putin and Trump will discuss Europe's future over the heads of the European countries themselves.

Europe has lost its global position

Furthermore, Niinistö notes that Europe's significance has decreased markedly during the 21st century. Today, it is primarily the US, China, and Russia that make the decisive decisions on the global stage.

When Finland joined the EU in the 1990s, the union was a voice that the world listened to. The situation was similar even after the turn of the millennium. Now, however, Europe has disappeared from the power quadrangle, according to Niinistö. He particularly points to how the US and China compete economically and divide the world between them in what he describes as a struggle for nations' loyalty.

— Europe must keep Europe European and must absolutely not submit to becoming an object of division, so that someone belongs to one camp and someone else to another, he says.

Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com