Politics

The government is planning to raise taxes on alcohol and soft drinks, according to a report in business newspaper Kauppalehti today. But Finance Minister Mika Lintilä (Centre) says while it’s "possible", no decisions have been made just yet. A tax on booze could help…

Prime Minister Antti Rinne (SDP) has just started his term of office, while EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker is just coming to the end of his tenure. Politically the two men come from different camps, but in Helsinki on Friday it was all…

A citizen’s initiative to ban net fishing in areas of Lake Saimaa that are home to endangered ring seals has reached the 50,000 signature threshold. The petition was organised by a group of family and friends as four rare Saimaa ringed…

Green MEP Heidi Hautala has been elected as a Vice-President of the European Parliament. She was successful in the first round of voting this week with 336 votes for one of the 14 Vice-President positions in Brussels and Strasbourg. Previous Finnish Vice Presidents…

Finlandia Hall takes centre stage on Thursday and Friday as Finland hosts the first major ministerial meetings of its six-month EU Presidency. The EU ministers responsible for competitiveness will be discussing sustainable groth, digital transformation, international competition and climate change…

Prime Minister Antti Rinne (SDP) is set to make history this weekend when he becomes the first Finnish PM to march in a Pride parade. "When we boldly defend the indivisible dignity of every human being, the world becomes a more just…

Speaker of Parliament Matti Vanhanen (Centre) says his recent surgery to remove a kidney came after a cancer diagnosis. The former Prime Minister is currently on sick leave after the operation, but writing on social media he revealed that tests showed…

Prime Minister Antti Rinne (SDP) has put action to combat climate change at the heart of Finland’s EU Presidency, as he unveiled the government’s programme for the next six months. "Measures to fight climate change must be carried out in a…

Minister of Economic Affairs Katri Kulmuni has become the second candidate to say they want to be the new leader of the Centre Party. Current chairman, former Prime Minister Juha Sipilä will step down in the autumn, falling on his sword…

The government is planning to re-introduce the post of ‘Animal Ombudsman’ as part of a wider effort to revitalise the Animal Welfare Act. The position would be based in Seinäjoki alongside the Food Agency, with the expectation that there should…