Finnish Social Affairs and Health Minister Kaisa Juuso has expressed regret about the controversy surrounding her son's appointment as her parliamentary assistant. The issue sparked public debate this week when reports revealed Ville Rajainmäki, Juuso's son, was hired for the position.
Juuso stated her son will continue in the role until the electoral term ends. She emphasized the employment contract exists between the assistant and Parliament itself, not directly with her.
"He has a fixed-term employment contract until the end of the electoral term," Juuso explained. "That contract is between the assistant and Parliament. There are no grounds for Parliament to terminate the employment because no mistakes were made.
The case highlights ongoing discussions about family member appointments in Finnish politics. Several other parliament members have also hired close relatives as assistants.
In response to the controversy, the Finns Party announced new restrictions on Wednesday. The party will prohibit its parliament members from hiring family members or close relatives as assistants after the next general elections.
The Finns Party remains the only major parliamentary group where assistants are hired directly by Parliament. Other parties have shifted to a model where parliamentary groups handle hiring processes.
This situation reveals ongoing tension between political traditions and public expectations regarding transparency in Nordic governments. While hiring family members remains legally permissible in many cases, public scrutiny continues to shape political norms.
Finnish parliament members currently have autonomy in selecting their assistants, though political parties increasingly implement their own ethical guidelines.