The Finnish government, led by Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, is moving toward issuing a formal state apology to the Sámi people. This follows the conclusion of the landmark Sámi Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which delivered its final report to the government. The commission, established during former Prime Minister Sanna Marin's term, spent years documenting historical and contemporary injustices faced by the Indigenous Sámi population in Finland.
Prime Minister Orpo of the National Coalition Party received the report and acknowledged the profound need for the commission's work. He stated that it is clear the Finnish state should apologize for the wrongs experienced by the Sámi. The report is based on hearings with approximately 400 Sámi individuals, collecting deeply personal and often painful accounts of discrimination related to land rights, language, culture, and self-determination.
Commission Chair Hannele Pokka presented the findings and emphasized the need for the entire Parliament, the Eduskunta, to review the document. She stressed that the sensitive information shared must be treated with appropriate seriousness by both politicians and citizens. The report contains numerous policy recommendations, including establishing a Sámi affairs coordination unit within the Prime Minister's Office, led by a Sámi state secretary, to ensure continuity in addressing these issues.
A key recommendation calls for the government to submit a regular report to Parliament each electoral term on improving the Sámi legal status. Many proposals focus on strengthening Sámi self-determination, cooperation, land use, and linguistic rights. The report's summary begins with a foundational statement: "The Finnish state was established on the lands of two peoples, the Sámi and the Finns."
To advance the work, a parliamentary working group has been established, with former Prime Minister Antti Rinne appointed as its secretary. Its first task is to consider the form and scope of a state apology to ensure it is comprehensive and meaningful. However, the formation of this group has drawn criticism for sidelining the representative Sámi Parliament and the Skolt Sámi Village Assembly. Representatives voiced frustration that they were not consulted before the group's creation, a point Orpo defended by noting the group's parliamentary composition while promising necessary support and future collaboration.
A notable finding in the report highlights that Sámi rights were neglected during Finland's processes to join NATO and sign the Defense Cooperation Agreement with the United States. Prime Minister Orpo responded that if this is the perception, the claim must be taken seriously and thoroughly examined. He pledged that similar oversights would not be allowed to occur in future decision-making.
The path forward involves the parliamentary group evaluating all recommendations, including the potential ratification of the ILO Convention 169 concerning Indigenous rights, a long-standing demand from Sámi representatives. Orpo declined to commit to specific timelines for concrete actions during the report's handover. The process now enters a critical political phase where the government's willingness to translate acknowledgment into substantive legal and policy change will be tested. This report places Finland at a crossroads in its relationship with its Indigenous people, with implications for its international human rights standing and domestic social cohesion.