Finland will shift to the right following election

Significance

Marin’s Social Democrats (SDP) finished in third place behind the right-wing populist Finns Party. The change in government coincides with a transforming geopolitical and security environment due to the war in Ukraine and Finland’s accession to NATO on April 4.

Impacts

• The risk of disinformation and GPS jamming by Russian actors, which entails interfering with radio communications, will increase.
• Without creating more paths for non-EU immigration, Finland will become particularly exposed to labour shortages.
• The Finns’ support for leaving the EU remains a long-term goal, but it is not an immediate concern.