Finland's Parliament could stop hiring personal assistants for lawmakers. This comes after reports about ministers hiring family members for these positions.
The Parliament's administrative director says he will propose ending the practice. Under the new system, political groups would receive funds to organize assistance for their members.
This change would begin in spring 2027 if approved. The proposal follows controversy over hiring practices within the Finns Party.
Several party members hired relatives as parliamentary assistants. One minister employed her own son, while others hired their partners or children.
Parliament's administration office says most political groups already use the group office model. In this system, parties handle hiring assistants rather than Parliament directly.
Sixteen Finns Party lawmakers have switched to this model. Twenty-nine still choose their own assistants, with Parliament handling the formal hiring.
The director notes that no group has returned to the old system after switching. He says the current controversy marks the first real problems with assistant hiring in years.
Finland previously had rules against hiring family members as assistants. Those restrictions were lifted about fifteen years ago when they were deemed unnecessary.
Parliament requires all assistants to be adults and pass security checks. There are no other qualifications for the positions.
The hiring of relatives has long traditions in Finnish politics. The practice began in the late 1990s when lawmakers first received personal assistants.
Previous governments saw similar cases across party lines. Center Party and National Coalition members also hired their children in past years.
The current situation highlights ongoing tensions about transparency in Finnish politics. While hiring family members isn't illegal, it raises questions about proper use of public funds.