The Nordic Times

Polaris of Enlightenment

The Nordic Times

Polaris of Enlightenment

The Nordic Times

The Nordic Times

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https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/finland/here-is-finlands-new-government/

Finland

Here is Finland’s new government

Updated June 21, 2023, Published June 21, 2023 – By Editorial staff
2 minute read
Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

On Tuesday, a new government was formally announced in the Finnish Parliament with the liberal-conservative National Coalition Party's Petteri Orpo as Prime Minister. Together with the new coalition, a government program has now been agreed for the next four years.

In total, the Orpo cabinet consists of 19 ministers, divided between the National Coalition Party with eight ministerial posts, the national populist Finns Party with seven ministers, the liberal Swedish People's Party and the Christian Democrats with three and one posts respectively.

Among the points in the Orpo government's program is that the Finnish government will strive to establish some form of NATO base in the country.

A number of economic measures are also included in the program, including an end to the state's current gambling monopoly as early as 2026.

Domestic production of emission-free electricity will be expanded, primarily through nuclear power.

Foreign aid will be gradually reduced due to the current economic situation, although this is not specified in detail. Funding for "assistance to the most vulnerable groups" will continue to be maintained.

All newborns in Finland will also receive a share savings account with a symbolic amount of money along with other gifts from the state, a measure intended to promote long-term savings.

The tax-funded media company Yle's impartial position will be strengthened according to the government program. Yle's funding will not be cut directly, but index increases will be frozen.

The requirements for permanent residence permits in Finland will be tightened somewhat, with a requirement to live in the country for at least six years, pass a language test, prove that one has worked for at least two years with only short periods of unemployment and that one has not been convicted of a crime. Immigrants will also no longer have the same rights to social security as permanent residents.

A fixed link across the Kvarken, i.e. between the city of Vaasa and Swedish Umeå, will be investigated.

Finnish pupils' use of mobile phones in schools will be restricted by a new law.

The new cabinet is Finland's 77th government since gaining independence from Russia in 1917. It succeeds Sanna Marin's coalition led by the Social Democrats, together with the Centre Party, the Green League, the Left Alliance and the Swedish People's Party.

Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Facts: Petteri Orpo

Petteri Orpo, born in 1969, has a master's degree in political science from the University of Turku. He has led his party since 2016 when he succeeded Alexander Stubb. Between 2017 and 2019, he was Finland's Deputy Prime Minister and has previously held the positions of Minister of Finance, Minister of Agriculture and Minister of the Interior. As Finland's Finance Minister, he has also served on the boards of the World Bank's Supervisory Board and the European Investment Bank, among others.

Orpo has also been noted to be listed by the globalist think tank World Economic Forum as one of its "Young Global Leaders".

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https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/finland/finlands-border-fence-with-russia-nearing-completion/

Finland

Finland’s border fence with Russia nearing completion

The new cold war

Published today 12:34 pm – By Editorial staff
1 minute read
Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

After nearly three years of construction, Finland's border fence with Russia is almost complete. The 200-kilometer barrier has been erected at strategically important locations to prevent hybrid warfare in the form of so-called instrumentalized migration.

Finland has chosen to expand its border security at locations where the risk is assessed to be greatest, despite the border with Russia stretching over 1,300 kilometers. The new fence covers only 200 kilometers of the total border length.

The 3.5-meter-high structure is designed to be impossible to climb and is equipped with barbed wire at the top. The area is also fitted with surveillance cameras and lighting, according to Swedish public broadcaster SVT.

The purpose is to stop what is called instrumentalized migration, where Russia sends asylum seekers to Finland as part of alleged "hybrid warfare".

The prioritization of where to build the fence has been based on where infrastructure and roads exist on both sides of the border. The old border crossings in Finnish Lapland have also been equipped with fencing as they constitute natural entry routes.

Mikko Kauppila, commander at the Lapland Border Guard, notes that the local population is supportive.

— It's patriotism, he says.

However, he worries that people are leaving villages in the area, which means fewer eyes to notice irregularities. The risk that someone could get around the fence has also sparked discussions about extension, but financing is uncertain.

Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/finland/finland-probes-anonymizing-social-insurance-rulings-after-staff-threats/

Finland

Finland probes anonymizing social insurance rulings after staff threats

Published November 26, 2025 – By Editorial staff
1 minute read
Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Finland's Social Insurance Institution is demanding that case handlers' names be allowed to be omitted from decisions. The background is serious threats against employees – including bomb threats and threats against their families.

The Social Insurance Institution (Kela) has approached the Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health with a request for changed rules. The authority wants it to become possible to make decisions without the case handler's name appearing, something that is currently not permitted.

Security Director Sami Niinikorpi describes an alarming situation where employees are subjected to the worst imaginable threats.

— This is about the most serious possible threat that one person can make to another, he tells Finnish national broadcaster Yle.

The problems have grown since Kela was given responsibility for decisions on basic social security in 2017. The authority sent out approximately 14 million decisions and letters during 2024, of which 1.6 million concerned basic security. Each year, around 200 reports of threats and harassment from staff are received.

Jussi Syrjänen, special expert at the Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, confirms that the ministry is now investigating two possible solutions: either names are removed entirely from decisions, or a system with identification numbers similar to that used by police is introduced.

He believes the case involves balancing two fundamental principles: transparency in government administration and employees' right to personal safety.

— Places where employees experience threats and dangerous situations may very well also have an interest in similar measures to those Kela is now seeking, says Syrjänen.

Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/finland/today-utsjoki-sees-the-sun-for-the-last-time-in-two-months/

Finland

Today Utsjoki sees the sun for the last time in two months

Published November 25, 2025 – By Editorial staff
1 minute read
Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Today the sun rises for the last time in a while in Finland's northernmost municipality. After that, a polar night awaits that stretches until mid-January.

At 11:35 AM on Tuesday, the sun rises above the horizon in Utsjoki for the last time this year. Just 46 minutes later, at 12:21 PM, it sets again – and stays away for 52 days.

Then begins the polar night, the period when the Earth's tilt means the sun does not rise above the horizon. The phenomenon occurs in the northernmost parts of the world and lasts for varying lengths depending on how close to the North Pole one is located.

In Utsjoki, which lies in the far north of Finland near the Norwegian border, it will be completely dark until January 16. Only then will the sun rise above the horizon again, reports Finnish national broadcaster Yle.

Shorter polar night further south

Further south in Lapland, closer to the Arctic Circle, the polar night is considerably shorter. In Sodankylä, a town in Finnish Lapland, it begins a couple of days before Christmas and lasts only four days.

South of Lapland, no polar night occurs at all, but even there the Earth's tilt is clearly noticeable. Daylight continues to decrease until December 21, when the winter darkness is at its deepest. After that, the days slowly begin to grow longer again.

Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

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

Finland

Finland to allow wolf hunting next year

Published November 22, 2025 – 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