Finland's Eduskunta (parliament) erupted in heated debate as opposition parties attacked the Orpo-Purra government over rising unemployment. What was supposed to deliver 100,000 new jobs has instead created over 80,000 newly unemployed, according to opposition calculations. Source: Ministry of economic Affairs and Employment - Labour Market Forecast.
Coalition defends austerity approach
Labour Minister Matias Marttinen from Kokoomus (National Coalition Party) defended the government's record, claiming Finland's employment rate sits "slightly above EU average." He blamed previous administrations for emptying state coffers. "When the state treasury has been wasted and we've lived on debt for years, this government cannot make changes by increasing the debt burden," Marttinen told Eduskunta.
Left Alliance leader Minja Koskela delivered the sharpest attack. "The numbers are ugly," she declared, calling the government's employment policy "a catastrophe for Finland and Finns." Her party filed a motion of no confidence, arguing the government has abandoned working people.
Centre Party's Tuomas Kettunen painted a grim picture: "More than one in eight without work. The whole country black with unemployment on the map." He criticized the government's decision to cut corporate tax from 20% to 18% as "almost a billion-euro income transfer to stock market lords."
Immigration divides parliament
The debate revealed deep splits on immigration's role in unemployment. Perussuomalaiset (Finns Party) MP Jorma Piisinen blamed "workforce growth where immigration plays a notable role" for rising joblessness. The populist party has long argued that immigration increases competition for jobs.
Movement for Change leader Harry Harkimo echoed this, demanding tighter immigration controls and fast-track permit processing for skilled workers.
Greens deputy leader Inka Hopsu slammed cuts to kotoutumiskoulutus (integration training) and language programs during high unemployment as "particularly miserable and illogical." She proposed mentorship programs for immigrant workers and expanded language courses.
Austerity under pressure
Prime Minister Petteri Orpo's coalition includes both the conservative National Coalition and the nationalist Finns Party, creating internal pressure on both economic and immigration policy. This mirrors tensions across Nordic countries between maintaining generous welfare states and fiscal discipline.
Marttinen acknowledged that "certain macro-level numbers don't help any unemployed person or family suffering from unemployment" but insisted recovery signs exist in export industries. He pointed to potential German economic recovery boosting Finnish manufacturers.
The opposition dismissed such optimism. Social Democrat deputy leader Piritta Rantanen accused the government of offering "brush clearing as an employment measure" instead of meaningful job creation. "How does such talk sound to a citizen who just lost their job?" she asked.
Sweden's center-right government has pursued similar austerity measures while managing immigration concerns, though without such intense parliamentary confrontations.
Expect this crisis to force early policy reversals by spring 2025, as even coalition partners begin distancing themselves from unpopular työttömyysleikkaukset (unemployment benefit cuts).
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