More than four fifths (84%) of voters in Finland would like to see the country’s next government take steps to reduce unemployment, according to a new survey by Finnish business think tank EVA.
The Values and Attitudes Survey surveyed voters on the core topics they’d like to see addressed by Finland’s next government, with support for increased employment rising by 23 percentage points since the last parliamentary elections, in 2023.
Employment was also the only one of 34 topics on which a majority of respondents, 53%, wanted to see much greater emphasis than at present.
Economic growth was the second major priority, with three fifths (61%) of Finns calling for greater attention to accelerating growth, an increase of 14 percentage points compared with 2023.
Some 53% would like to see greater emphasis on reducing government debt, however this proportion has dropped 28 percentage points since the last parliamentary election.
Policy expectations
“Finns’ economic policy expectations have clearly changed,” commented Ilkka Haavisto, EVA’s research manager. “Three years ago, the main demand was to stop debt, now they are demanding a reduction in unemployment and economic growth. Finns hope that the next government will continue to take steps to reduce debt, but above all, they expect the next government to show results in improving economic growth and employment.”
Elsewhere, three-quarters of respondents (75%) want greater investment in healthcare development and access to services, while 73% want more emphasis on improving care for elderly persons.
Some 71% want greater attention to fighting crime, while 69% want more emphasis on tackling gang violence.
Education and energy production also featured prominently, with 65% calling for increased education funding and 63% wanting greater attention to expanding energy production.
‘Focus on the basics’
“Finns want the next government to focus on the basics: employment, healthcare, elderly care, security and access to energy,” Haavisto added. “The scarcity of public finances makes the equation difficult. Improvements are expected from services at the same time as the state finances should be balanced.”
The survey was conducted between 8 and 22 September, with responses from 2,020 people aged 18 to 79 across Finland, excluding the Åland Islands. Finland’s next parliamentary elections are scheduled for April 2027. Read more here.
