
Finland

Finland performs in the high range across all categories of the Global State of Democracy (GSoD) framework. The country performs in the top 25 per cent globally across every metric. Between 2019-2024, Finland experienced declines in Freedom of the Press, particularly in measures of media self-censorship; it remains high performing in this factor. Finland’s mixed economy is highly industrialized and is dominated by the services sector, but also features some manufacturing, refining, and primary production.
Finland was under Swedish rule until 1809, when it became an autonomous part of the Russian Empire, eventually declaring independence and becoming a republic in 1917. It is a scarcely populated country that features three notable historic minorities: the Sámi Indigenous peoples, the Swedish-speaking minority, and the Roma people. Finnish territory also encompasses the Åland islands, an autonomous region that hosts its own parliament and holds one seat in the national legislature.
The Finnish political culture is pragmatic, as actors often cooperate across traditional ideological divides. Finnish politics take place within the framework of a multi-party, parliamentary system that is distinctive for its oversized majority coalitions. The Swedish People’s Party, which represents the interests of the minority Swedish-speaking Finnish population, is a frequent coalition partner.
Much in line with larger trends in Western Europe, sociocultural issues have increasingly come to drive Finnish politics—particularly post-materialist topics such as immigration, gender equality, environmental protection, and minority rights—including with respect to the Sámi and the Roma populations. There has also been a rise in hate crimes and allegations of racism among government officials have been worsening, triggering large-scale anti-racism protests in Helsinki in 2023. National security concerns have heightened following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, with claims that Russia is instrumentalizing migration into Finland to exert political pressure. Finland’s decision to join NATO took place in this context of heightened security risks.
In 2024, the government approved an action plan to tackle racist violence, harassment and discrimination, and promote equality for racial minorities. In addition, lawmakers recently approved significant changes to strengthen the Sámi population’s linguistic and cultural rights in the Constitution. At the same time, state budget cuts for 2025 dramatically decreased support for civil society organizations, including those that support refugee and asylum seeker populations in the country.
Finland is high performing in Gender Equality. Women’s political representation is a particular strength, and women’s rights were recently expanded following reforms easing access to abortion in 2022, and amendments making the definition of rape based on consent. Other advances in gender equality include the approval of legislation enabling legal gender recognition by self-declaration, with impacts on the rights of transgender people. However, gender-based violence remains a problem.
Looking ahead, it will be important to monitor Social Group Equality, especially with ongoing efforts to limit the right to social and healthcare services for undocumented immigrants and to restrict the reception of asylum-seekers at the Russian border. Additionally, attempts to criminalize the denial of serious international crimes, including genocide and war crimes, should be watched closely.
Last updated: June 2025
https://www.idea.int/democracytracker/
September 2024
Government approves measures to tackle racism and promote equality
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
Civil society organisations face cuts across many sectors
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
July 2024
Parliament approves emergency measures to restrict reception of asylum seekers
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, Helsinki Times, Council of Europe, Politico, Finnish Government, Yle
June 2024
Children targeted in suspected racially motivated attack
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
April 2024
Parliament approves restrictions on political strikes
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)
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Global ranking per category of democratic performance in 2024
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