Politics

 

PM Sipilä to meet American Veep in Washington

Prime Minister Juha Sipilä (Centre) is set to meet American Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday for talks in Washington DC. The meeting was announced Tuesday evening, and is scheduled to be the first bilateral meeting between a Finnish PM and American…

€800 basic income plan unveiled by Left Alliance

Finland’s Left Alliance political party has unveiled a new basic income policy it hopes will be part of future government programmes. It would mean a huge overhaul of the country’s unwieldy social security system, and give everyone in the country…

Could ‘pleasant politics’ catch on in parliament?

Working in politics can be a dirty business, but one Finnish political operator decided to be Mr Nice Guy this week. Dimitri Qvintus, who works as an advisor to Social Democrat leader Antti Rinne wrote tweets about colleagues in parliament from across…

Law and order proposals: is Finland really turning into a ‘police state’?

Finnish ministries made two proposals which hit the headlines this week for all the wrong reasons. First, there was the idea that police would have sudden unfettered access to medical records; then controversy about possible restrictions to citizens’ rights to…

Finland’s former PM Alex Stubb soundly beaten in EU top job vote

Finland’s former Prime Minister Alex Stubb has been soundly beaten in a vote that would have taken him one step closer to becoming ‘President of Europe’. Hundreds of delegates from the European People’s Party EPP, congress in Helsinki, voted 492 to…

Decision day for Euro party voters: Alex Stubb or Manfred Weber

Delegates at the European People’s Party congress in Helsinki will decide today whether to choose German MEP Manfred Weber or ex-Finnish Prime Minister Alex Stubb (NCP) as their candidate to be ‘President of Europe’. The European People’s Party EPP is an umbrella…

PM hosts Merkel, Orban, Barnier and Varadkar for talks

The Prime Minister’s residence at Kesäranta has seen a revolving door of European leaders and officials today, arriving for meetings with Juha Sipilä (Centre). They’re all in Helsinki for the European People’s Party (EPP) congress, but also held bilateral talks with…

Wife’s cancer diagnosis puts Paavo Väyrynen’s political ambitions on hold

Veteran politician Paavo Väyrynen has revealed that his wife has been diagnosed with cancer, and says he’s now uncertain about his own political future. Väyrynen says his wife Vuokko had been ill for several weeks before the cancer was diagnosed on Saturday, and…

Greens pick Pekka Haavisto to see them through the elections

Finland’s Green Alliance political party has voted veteran politician Pekka Haavisto to be their new chairman. Haavisto, a former cabinet minister, two time presidential candidate and UN envoy, will serve the remaining term of office of Touko Aalto, who resigned in October…

Pekka Haavisto joins Green party leadership race

Two-time presidential candidate, former minister and ex-UN official Pekka Haavisto says he’s running to become the leader of the Green Alliance political party. The Greens will choose a new leader on Saturday, to serve for an interim period, to replace Touko Aalto,…

Latest News

Open for business – but immigrant entrepreneurs struggle during coronavirus pandemic

Business is brisk on a Saturday afternoon in Adil Al-Massi’s Tapiola barber shop. Its prime location between Ainoa shopping centre and Sokos Hotel means there’s a…

One giant leap for Nokia, as telecoms company lands lunar contract

The US space agency NASA has announced $14.1 million funding (€12 million) for Nokia to build a 4G communication network on the moon. It was…

Morning headlines: Monday 19th October 2020

Appeals Court hears Raseborg conscript deaths case The Helsinki Appeals Court begins hearing the case of three conscripts killed in a level crossing accident. The…

Hundreds of ‘Brexit Brits’ lodge Migri applications – but questions remain about the process

Hundreds of British nationals have lodged applications to change their immigration status in Finland since the Immigration Service Migri opened the process at the…

Ready for winter driving? Police offer seasonal advice for motorists

With frosty mornings back on the calendar, police are offering some seasonal safety tips for motorists as road conditions turn more wintry. Vehicle windshields need…

Finns Party politician becomes the first MP to test positive for Covid-19

Finns Party MP Tom Packalén says he’s tested positive for Covid-19 – becoming the first Member of Parliament to infected with coronavirus. Writing on his Facebook…

Justice at last for Namibian students as Joensuu racist attackers are convicted

Two foreign students from Namibia, who were the victims of a racist assault in September 2018, have finally seen their attackers convicted. A 35-year old…

Morning headlines: Friday 16th October 2020

VTT study: disposable masks can be washed and re-used A new study by scientists at the VTT Technical Research Centre found that in some circumstances…