Petteri Orpo's guest column is misleading
In his guest column, published on 29 May, Prime Minister Petteri Orpo made many claims that need to be corrected.
First, the Prime Minister claims the following: "The goal of my government is clear: we want to secure welfare state services for Finns, good healthcare and care for everyone." This claim is brazen, considering the massive cuts of hundreds of millions to social and healthcare services.
These cuts have caused mass layoffs and, most recently, the law on protection and emergency work that was passed at the end of May further weakens the sector’s ability to attract and retain workers. These actions also undermine patient safety. Additionally, studies show that measures that reduce attractiveness and retention – such as career changes – also have financial costs amounting to 50–150% of an employee’s annual salary. Healthcare and its equality are not improved through coercion, but by improving working conditions and pay.
Orpo writes that he wants high-quality education in Finland. The cuts the government is making to education are in complete contradiction to that claim. In 2024–2026, the cuts will be significant and target adult education, vocational education and the basic funding of higher education institutions, in particular. In total, around 200 million euros will be cut from education.
Orpo mentions that the prerequisites for a Nordic welfare society include high employment, a functioning market economy and responsible economic policy. In reality, a Nordic welfare society is based on a broad and comprehensive tax base, high-quality and equal public services, high employment, a functioning negotiation system, trust and social cohesion.
The fundamental pillars of the welfare society have been dismantled. Cuts to social security, education and healthcare weaken the foundation of the welfare state. Reductions in unemployment benefits and housing support increase poverty and inequality. For example, child poverty has gone up in recent years.
Orpo also writes that "We are improving incentives to accept work and pursue entrepreneurship by reforming social security and taxation."
The number of unemployed jobseekers in employment services continues to rise, although the increase is forecast to level off next year. However, the number of long-term unemployed is projected to keep growing until 2026, which is as far as the forecast extends.
Unemployment cannot be solved through coercion; what is needed is education and guidance. At the beginning of 2025, the responsibility over TE services was transferred to the municipalities and, at the same time, the state-run TE offices were abolished. In connection with the reform, municipalities were promised full state funding for the transferred TE services, but the Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities has expressed concern that the government is backtracking on this promise.
Lastly, Orpo falsely claims that the Ministry of Finance estimates that the government is succeeding in its economic policy objective and that the debt-to-GDP ratio will stabilise as planned during the parliamentary term. The Ministry of Finance has already corrected Orpo’s claim and reminded that, according to the forecast made in the spring, public debt will grow to nearly 90% of GDP by 2029. Likewise, borrowing nominally from the pension fund does not help curb indebtedness.
Dear Prime Minister, we are still one of the most educated nations in the world. Even though it is sometimes hard to believe what we are seeing, we are not stupid. We are a nation that sees, hears and – above all – understands what is happening. The smokescreens that your government has set up must be blown away.
Millariikka Rytkönen, President
Anni Marttinen, Economist
Union of health and social care professionals, Tehy