The president, whose role is mainly ceremonial but includes defense and foreign policy responsibilities, is directly elected for up to two six-year terms. In 2018, former finance minister and incumbent president Sauli Niinistö, originally of the KOK, won a second presidential term with 62.6 percent of the vote, defeating several challengers. The election was considered broadly free and fair.

The prime minister, the head of government, is selected by Finland’s freely elected parliament. Following April 2023 parliamentary elections, Orpo became prime minister in June.

Representatives in the 200-seat, unicameral parliament, the Eduskunta, are elected to serve four-year terms. Prior to the 2023 elections, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe expressed “a high level of confidence in all the aspects of the electoral process” and concluded that it was not necessary to send an election observation mission.

The KOK won the largest share of the vote in the April 2023 elections, taking 48 seats. The new center-right government formed in June comprised the KOK, the Finns Party with 46 seats, the Swedish People’s Party of Finland with 9 seats, and the Christian Democrats with 5 seats. The remainder of the seats went to the Social Democratic Party, which took 43, the Center Party with 23 seats, the Greens with 13 seats, the Left Alliance with 11 seats, the Movement Now party with 1, and the Åland Coalition, also with 1.

Finland’s electoral laws are robust and generally well implemented by the relevant authorities.

There are no significant constraints on political parties’ ability to organize and operate, and they compete freely in practice.

Finland regularly experiences peaceful transfers of power between rival political parties through elections, with governments typically consisting of multiparty coalitions.

People’s political choices are generally free from undue interference by forces that are not democratically accountable.

Citizens from the Finnish majority and all ethnic minorities enjoy full political rights. The Åland Islands—an autonomous region located off the southwestern coast whose inhabitants speak Swedish—have their own 30-seat parliament, as well as one seat in the national legislature.

The Sámi of northern Finland, an Indigenous people who number about 10,000, have a legislature with limited powers, but they do not have guaranteed representation in the parliament. Members of the Sámi community continue to call for greater inclusion in political decision-making processes and for the Finnish government to ensure the Sámi’s right to self-determination.

Women and women’s interests are reasonably well represented in politics, as are LGBT+ people and their respective interests. Women make up 46 percent of the Finnish parliament.

Finland’s freely elected government and lawmakers are generally able to develop and implement policy without undue interference from unelected entities.

Corruption is not a significant problem in Finland and is generally punished under relevant laws when discovered. In January 2023, the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption reported that Finland had only fully implemented 1 of its 14 recommended anticorruption efforts, while 8 had been partially implemented and 5 had not been implemented.

Laws permitting access to public information are generally well enforced, though there are some limits on the disclosure of information related to national security, foreign affairs, trade secrets, and criminal investigations. All citizens, including government officials, are required by law to make public asset declarations, though there are no penalties for noncompliance. While companies perceive corruption risks and favoritism within public procurement as low, informal networks and personal associations, notably at the local level, are still believed to hold influence over procurement decisions.

Freedom of expression is protected by Article 12 of the constitution and the 2003 Act on the Exercise of Freedom of Expression in Mass Media. Media outlets in Finland are typically independent and free from political pressure or censorship, and the media environment is strong. In January 2023, Tuomo Pietiläinen and Laura Halminen, journalists for the Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat, were found guilty of revealing state secrets in connection with their reporting on Finland’s military intelligence services; Pietiläinen was handed a 4,200-euro ($4,570) fine. The case was widely condemned as setting a dangerous precent for press freedom.

Journalists sometimes face harassment for their work, notably those who cover topics related to immigrants and immigration. Several lawmakers from the new government were accused of harassing a journalist online in July 2023 in retaliation for her reporting on the Finns Party. The Finnish Union of Journalists and European Union authorities called on politicians to respect the press and the role of the media, and Orpo condemned online harassment in a public statement.

Journalists also face the risk of defamation charges.

Religious freedom is guaranteed in the constitution and generally respected in practice.

However, far-right hate speech and incidents of vandalism directed at the Jewish and Muslim communities are ongoing concerns. Police note that religious discrimination remains a motivating factor for hate crimes.

In November 2023, an appellate court upheld a 2022 Helsinki District Court ruling in favor of Päivi Räsänen, a Finnish parliamentarian who was charged with spreading hate speech about the LGBT+ community. The Helsinki court had stated that her religiously based comments did not violate freedom of speech laws.

Some lawmakers have called for reforms to Finland’s law criminalizing blasphemy, which provides for penalties of up to six months in prison. The National Police Board in January 2023 said the public burning of a religious text would violate the law, after similar incidents in neighboring countries.

Academic freedom is generally respected.

There are few impediments to personal expression, and the authorities are not known to engage in improper surveillance of personal communications.

Freedom of assembly is protected by law and upheld in practice.

The Finnish branch of environmental activist group Extinction Rebellion often stages protest actions, with some leading to arrests and charges of disobeying police. In March 2022, 12 climate protesters were convicted of insubordination in connection with an August 2021 demonstration.

Nongovernmental organizations operate without restriction.

Workers have the right to organize and bargain collectively, though public-sector workers who provide services deemed essential may not strike. Approximately 59 percent of workers belong to trade unions, while 89.2 percent of workers are effectively covered by collective bargaining agreements in the workplace. Trade unions have raised the alarm regarding the new government’s proposed changes to union-related laws, arguing that bills under discussion would severely undermine employee protections and the right to strike.

The constitution provides for an independent judiciary, and the courts operate without political interference in practice.

Due process is generally respected in Finland. Authorities largely uphold safeguards against arbitrary arrest and detention and provide the conditions for fair trials.

There are few significant threats to physical security, and violent crime is uncommon, although it has increased in recent years.

The constitution guarantees the Sámi people cultural autonomy and the right to pursue their culturally significant livelihoods, which include fishing and reindeer herding. However, representatives of the community have said that they cannot fully exercise their rights in practice and face restrictions on land use and on self-determination. In April 2022, the Finnish Supreme Court dismissed two ongoing cases against the Sámi people that claimed they were violating Finnish fishing rules. The court ruled in favor of the Sámi people’s constitutional right to practice their traditional fishing culture.

The country’s Non-Discrimination Ombudsman has warned of increased hate speech targeting Sami people, minority religious communities, and immigrants.

Women enjoy equal legal rights but suffer from pay discrimination.

Amendments to the Non-Discrimination Act, which took effect in June 2023, include stronger protections in the workplace and in education, and a more inclusive definition of harassment. The center-right government presented a new policy to fight racism and discrimination in August 2023, which includes measures to promote gender equality, combat hate speech, advance equality in the workplace, and criminalize Holocaust denial. The policy was announced following a series of scandals involving to racist comments made by prominent politicians from the far-right Finns Party.

The new government has also introduced policies to limit immigration and restrict paths to citizenship.

Individuals in Finland are free to travel abroad and domestically. The country has one of the most expansive “right to roam” policies in the world, allowing people to use any public or private land for recreational purposes so long as the privacy of a private residence is not violated, and no environmental damage is incurred. There are no undue restrictions on people’s ability to change their place of residence, education, or employment.

Intellectual and property rights are upheld. There are no major obstacles to establishing a business, and the country boasts a well-regulated, transparent, and open economy.

People’s choices on personal status matters are for the most part unrestricted. Same-sex marriage has been allowed since 2017. In 2023, Finland made it significantly easier for transgender people to change their legal gender by removing requirements for surgical sterilization and mental health diagnosis prior to legal recognition.

Surrogacy remains illegal for both opposite and same-sex couples.

Changes to sections of the criminal code relating to sexual offenses, including defining rape as a nonconsensual act, took effect in January 2023. However, there are complaints that sexual offenses are not properly investigated by the police.

Gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence, remains an issue, and there are not substantial frameworks or procedures to address domestic violence, nor long-term support for survivors. A 2023 report by Statistics Finland found that 1 in 3 women and 1 in 6 men have experienced violence from an intimate partner, with few cases being reported to the police.

A law strengthening access to abortions services took effect in September 2023, providing for greater access to abortion pills and procedures.

The authorities generally uphold protections against exploitative working conditions. Asylum seekers and migrants are most vulnerable to sex and labor trafficking. The government actively prosecutes trafficking offenses, and survivors have access to protection and assistance. However, alleged perpetrators often receive lighter charges and penalties due to lack of specialized training for investigators. The US State Department’s 2023 Trafficking in Persons Report assigned Finland Tier 1 status, its highest ranking, noting that Finland continued to investigate and convict more traffickers. Notable labor trafficking cases have been identified among seasonal berry pickers, construction workers, and cleaners.