Outcome of the negotiations on the new Government Programme: A strong and committed Finland

The new Government will build a strong and committed Finland – a well-functioning, safe and just society where opportunities for success and wellbeing are secured across generations and throughout Finland. The Government will safeguard the future of the welfare society, ensure adequate services for all and promote the balanced development of the national economy.

The outcome of the negotiations in the government formation talks led by Petteri Orpo (National Coalition Party) was published on Friday 16 June. The parties that participated in the talks were the National Coalition Party, the Finns Party, the Swedish People’s Party of Finland and the Christian Democrats in Finland.

The parties in Government are united by a strong conviction that work and entrepreneurship lead to wellbeing.  The Government’s target is to boost the employment rate by 100,000 persons. The Government will make significant reforms to social security and the labour market so that it will be easier and more profitable to find employment or work as an entrepreneur. The Government will reform the legislation on working life to remove barriers to employment and, in particular, to strengthen the operating conditions of SMEs.

The Orpo Government will invest in raising the level of competence and education in Finland and will increase investments in research and innovation. The goal is to ensure that everyone completes at least an upper secondary qualification and that more young people also complete a higher education degree. The Government is committed to increasing Finland’s research and development (R&D) expenditure to four per cent of GDP by 2030.

The Government will ensure opportunities for housing and mobility throughout Finland and will implement a transport investment programme of nearly EUR three billion. A viable countryside is vital for wellbeing in all parts of Finland. The Government will address the profitability issues facing agriculture and will create growth through sustainable forest policy.

Finland will be a leader in clean energy. The Government is committed to meeting emission reduction targets and moving towards carbon neutrality followed by carbon negativity. At the same time, the Government will ensure that its measures do not increase everyday costs for citizens or weaken the competitiveness of business and industry. The Government will strengthen Finland’s competitiveness and attractiveness as an investment target for renewable industries by doubling its production of clean electricity. 

The Government will take urgent measures to improve the availability of health and social services and to provide faster and more secure access to treatment. Health and social services reforms will be implemented so that wellbeing services counties will be able to prepare for future challenges more effectively than at present. The Government will improve the incomes of families with children by raising the child benefit for children under three years of age.

The new Government will set Finland’s public finances on a sustainable path so that Finland can continue to provide the services of the welfare society in the future, too. The Government aims to ensure that Finland’s economy is on a stable footing by 2031. The goal is to strengthen general government finances by EUR six billion during this parliamentary term.

The Government will ensure the security of Finland and its residents and strengthen comprehensive security, resilience and security of supply. Finland will prepare for external and internal security threats using new forms of international cooperation. Finland’s security environment has changed irrevocably, and European security is facing its gravest threats in decades. The European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) form the core of Finland’s cooperative foreign policy. Finland is an active NATO member.

The Government will safeguard the future of Finland as a democratic state governed by the rule of law and ensure everyday safety and security. The Government will ensure that the resources and powers of the authorities responsible for security and the administration of justice correspond to the changed operating environment. The number of police officers will be increased to 8,000 person-years. 

The Government Programme was drawn up in consultation with an exceptionally wide range of experts from different sectors of society, and their views have been taken into account in its preparation. 

Division of ministerial posts

The new government will have 19 ministers: 8 from the National Coalition Party, 7 from the Finns Party, 2.5 from the Swedish People’s Party and 1.5 from the Christian Democrats. 

The ministers from the National Coalition Party will be the Prime Minister (Prime Minister’s Office), the Minister of Local and Regional Government (Ministry of Finance), the Minister for Foreign Affairs (Ministry for Foreign Affairs), the Minister of Social Security (Ministry of Social Affairs and Health), the Minister of Defence (Ministry of Defence), the Minister of Employment (Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment), the Minister of Science and Culture (Ministry of Education and Culture) and the Minister of Climate and the Environment (Ministry of the Environment, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment).

The ministers from the Finns Party will be the Minister of Finance (Ministry of Finance), the Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade (Ministry for Foreign Affairs), the Minister of Social Affairs and Health (Ministry of Social Affairs and Health), the Minister of Economic Affairs (Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment), the Minister of Justice (Ministry of Justice), the Minister of the Interior (Ministry of the Interior) and the Minister of Transport and Communications (Ministry of Transport and Communications).

The ministers from the Swedish People’s Party will be the Minister of Education (Ministry of Education and Culture; Ministry for Foreign Affairs: Nordic affairs), the Minister for European Affairs and Ownership Steering (Prime Minister’s Office) and the Minister of Youth, Sport and Physical Activity (Ministry of Education and Culture, 2 years).

The ministers from the Christian Democrats will be the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry (Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry) and the Minister of Youth, Sport and Physical Activity (Ministry of Education and Culture, 2 years).

The outcome of the negotiations on the Government Programme can be downloaded in Finnish and Swedish on the Government website. Excerpts of the Government Programme are currently available in English, and the full translation will be published shortly on the same website.