Programme for the Municipal Elections 2025

At daycare, a toddler longs for comfort, but the staffs’ hands are already full — too many children, too few arms to hold them. In the classroom, restlessness fills the space, tearing apart a sensitive child’s focus. At the middle school entrance, a young person hesitates and decides to go looking elsewhere for relief from their anxiety.

At the local grocery store, a student weighs their choices—there’s no longer enough money for a second warm meal. Between streetlights, a young woman quickens her pace as footsteps approach from behind—luckily, a friend is waiting for the “I made it home” message. If she could afford the bus, the journey home would feel safer.

An exhausted single parent wishes their child had a place to belong, now that an old hobby has become too expensive, the local beach is no longer safe for swimming, and in winter, there isn’t enough snow for ski tracks. They wonder what kind of future awaits in a neighborhood where no one else wants to move to.

A lonely elderly person dials three numbers, but their emergency still isn’t urgent enough.

What if Finland didn’t have to be like this?
What if there were enough safe arms in daycare? What if every child had the support and peace to learn, as well as the chance to pursue hobbies? What if we addressed young people’s distress in time? What if students didn’t have to worry about making ends meet, and if no one had to feel afraid on a dark street? What if our waters remained clean enough to swim in and if we truly cared about people’s well-being at work? What if help and care were available when needed?

What if you got to choose? What would happen if you got to decide?

In the municipal and regional elections, your vote can change the course. We can build a Finland where no one has to fear for tomorrow or wonder whether they can afford food or get the help and care they need. We can choose a future where Finland is a better and safer place for everyone to live, grow, work, and age. We can decide to protect childhood, build a safe youth, and ensure that in Finland, everyone has the chance to reach for their dreams. We can succeed in tackling the climate crisis and biodiversity loss—because we owe it to future generations. We can create possibilities for a smooth and safe everyday life where you can focus on what truly matters.

Change requires political leaders with will and courage. From you, it requires a vote. A better tomorrow is possible.

You choose. Everyday counts. Vote Green.

Sofia Virta
Chair of the Greens

Without a thriving natural environment and a healthy planet, there can be no well-being for humans or animals. Municipalities and cities play a key role in reducing climate emissions and taking action against the effects of the climate crisis. We, the Greens, fight against biodiversity loss and climate change by establishing nature reserves, reducing emissions, and making built environments greener. At the same time, we make people’s everyday lives simpler and more sustainable while promoting the well-being of other species.

Nature is dear to us Finns, and we must be able to enjoy it both in rural areas and cities. Connected green areas forming ecological networks are crucial for preserving biodiversity. Urban forests, parks, and recreational areas create a pleasant living environment and support human health and well-being. A diverse natural environment, free-flowing clean waterways, lush green residential areas, and animal- and nature-friendly services are also factors that help municipalities retain their existing residents and attract new ones.

Cities and urban areas should be developed as holistic entities based on principles of density and accessibility. We want to ensure long-term ecological sustainability and combat regional inequality. In cities, essential services, leisure areas, and local recreational spaces should be easy to reach—primarily by bicycle, on foot, or by public transport. Ideally, they should be no more than about fifteen minutes away. Short distances and compact urban structures save travel time and maximize the amount of untouched nature in the city while minimizing travel-related emissions. When new developments are planned, space must be allocated for nearby nature, and valuable natural areas should be protected. By making built environments greener, we adapt to the consequences of the climate crisis, such as heatwaves and floods caused by heavy rainfall. In rural areas, where distances are greater, we must ensure accessible services and continued opportunities to develop local villages.

In municipalities, ambitious climate goals must be safeguarded, and sufficient measures should be taken to reduce emissions and achieve these targets. In a green municipality, it is easy for people to live sustainably. Emissions from energy production are effectively reduced by enabling decentralized production of renewable energy and energy storage. At the same time, we enhance the security of the energy system. Municipalities can take on a greater role in managing the climate crisis: they should not only be carbon neutral but also produce clean energy to compensate for emissions beyond their own borders.

When the government cuts back on environmental protection and retreats from climate and environmental measures, municipal decision-makers bear even greater responsibility for ensuring ecological sustainability. In municipalities, we can repair the damage that Orpo’s government is currently weakening.

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We Improve the State of the Environment and Make the Built Environment Greener

• We commit to stopping biodiversity loss and making municipalities environmentally positive. We integrate habitat restoration into municipal conservation efforts.
• We establish and implement ambitious municipal biodiversity and nature conservation programs. These programs should be systematically implemented. The programs will outline how municipalities achieve a strict 10% protection level and an overall 30% protection of their land and water areas, in accordance with international commitments.
• We implement a principle of no net loss of nature by applying a mitigation hierarchy to any environmental damage:
  • First, nature damage should be entirely avoided.
  • If that is not possible, the damage should be minimized.
  • As a last resort, any unavoidable damage should be compensated.
  • This principle applies to all construction, including renewable energy projects.
• We establish at least one new protected area in each municipality during the election period and protect municipally owned forests that meet the criteria of the METSO program.
• We manage municipal forests in collaboration with local residents and protect biodiversity, landscape values, and recreational benefits by favoring planned, unmanaged, and natural areas.
• We transition away from clear-cutting to continuous-cover forestry, especially on peatlands, and commit to avoiding logging during bird nesting seasons. We promote FSC certification in municipal forests.
• We ensure the preservation of ecosystems in all municipalities by designating sufficiently large networks of high-quality green and water areas in land-use planning and preserving existing vegetation as much as possible.
• We ensure the availability of green spaces and access to nearby nature according to the 3–30–300 principle:
  • At least 30% tree canopy cover in every area,
  • A green space within 300 meters of every home,
  • At least 3 trees visible from every window of a home.
• We expand ecological networks in built environments as an adaptation to the climate crisis by increasing street trees, green roofs, and vegetation while protecting old trees.
• We enhance biodiversity by converting lawns into meadows, maintaining open areas through grazing, and preserving habitats for endangered species.
• We ensure the care and transportation of endangered wild animals and access to veterinary services for both pets and farm animals.
• We develop an animal welfare plan in collaboration with public and volunteer animal protection organizations. We ensure advisory services, animal protection oversight, and effective prevention of animal welfare issues.
• We improve the quality of local waterways by reducing the leakage of nutrients, sediments, and other pollutants into bodies of water.
• We ban mining and mineral exploration in nature conservation areas, near significant natural sites, in reindeer herding areas, and in regions where Sami and Skolt Sami languages are spoken.
  • We also consider the impact of mining projects on natural areas outside municipal borders.
  • We protect valuable waterways and ensure local residents can participate in decision-making regarding mining projects.
• We support innovative research in the circular economy to find new solutions and materials as alternatives to the mining and extraction industry.
• We consider carbon sinks and carbon storage in land use and forestry planning.
  • We promote carbon-sequestering agricultural practices.
• We take wildlife conservation into account in construction, for example:
  • Implementing bird-friendly building designs
  • Constructing safe passageways for wildlife
  • Ensuring sufficiently large habitats for various species.
  • Guaranteeing that cities provide dark and quiet spaces for species that rely on such environments.
• We ensure that environmental decision-making is always based on adequate and up-to-date environmental information and assessments.
• We increase necessary vegetation and habitats for pollinators and other invertebrates.
  • We favor native plant species and introduce controlled non-maintenance areas in green space management.
  • We preserve traditional biotopes by restoring them.

We Combat the Climate Crisis and Promote the Circular Economy

• We reduce emissions and environmental impact within municipal areas. We take equally ambitious action to lower emissions linked to municipal procurement.
• We ensure that all municipalities have active climate plans and that their carbon neutrality targets align with the Paris Agreement. We set a goal for all municipalities to be carbon neutral by 2030, followed by achieving negative carbon emissions.
• We phase out fossil fuels, peat, and wood combustion for energy production. We reduce wood burning and transition to non-combustion-based heating methods, such as electric boilers, waste heat recovery, and energy storage development.
• We improve energy efficiency in buildings and increase on-site renewable energy production, such as solar and geothermal energy. We support and guide residents and property owners in energy renovations. We streamline permitting processes for renewable energy projects in municipalities.
• We extend the lifespan of buildings, making renovations a more attractive alternative than demolition, ensuring that the built environment remains in good condition.
• We enhance energy efficiency in buildings and promote the use of wood and other low-emission materials in construction. We emphasize sustainability, repairability, and the recycling of building materials and components.
• We advance the circular economy and energy/material efficiency, benefiting both the environment and municipal finances while supporting local businesses in the green transition.
• We extend the lifespan of products and goods by:
  • Requiring long leasing contracts for ICT equipment,
  • Allowing municipalities to purchase used goods instead of new ones,
  • Making discarded items (e.g., from renovations) available to residents for purchase or repurposing.
• We facilitate waste sorting and recycling for residents and encourage repair services for consumer goods.
• We establish community bike repair workshops, where volunteers teach people how to maintain and repair their bicycles.
• We halve the consumption of animal-based foods in municipal cafeterias by 2030 and always offer a vegan option. We implement a policy for selling surplus food from municipal and regional kitchens to reduce food waste.
• In municipal procurement, we prioritize:
  • Sustainable development goals,
  • Environmental impact considerations,
  • Domestic products,
  • Animal welfare,
  • Fair working conditions, and
  • Human rights.

We Create an Environment That Enables a Sustainable Everyday Life

• We promote a sustainable urban structure that reduces environmental impact.
• We revitalize and increase the attractiveness of city centers by improving access to local services, prioritizing walking, cycling, and public transport.
• We make public transport more attractive and accessible, ensuring that ticket prices remain affordable.
• We eliminate mandatory parking space requirements that increase housing costs, ensuring that parking is only built when necessary. We avoid underground parking structures that reduce green space and decrease the livability of courtyards.
• We increase daily physical activity by making walking and cycling more popular through better pedestrian and cycling infrastructure. We improve winter maintenance and develop municipal programs to promote walking and cycling.
• We replace fossil fuels in private transport and promote electric and biogas vehicles.
• We make car-sharing easier, reducing the need for private car ownership, especially in densely populated urban areas.
• We improve public transport accessibility by expanding city bike systems in urban areas, including year-round availability and e-bikes.
• We create seamless travel chains by building secure bike parking at public transport hubs and improving bike access on public transit vehicles.
• In urban transport agreements (MAL agreements), we prioritize tram and commuter train networks in collaboration with the national government.
• We implement quick and light urban experiments to enhance:
  • Attractive public spaces,
  • Greenery and recreational opportunities,
  • New bus and bike lanes,
  • Seasonal transport lanes, and
  • Traffic arrangements that reduce through-traffic.

Finland’s story is that of the power of education. Over the past hundred years, we have used education to become one of the most successful and happiest countries in the world. Education is also the key to Finland’s future prosperity and success, which is why we must invest now to ensure its quality. Schools and daycare centers should have a peaceful working environment where both teaching and learning can take place effectively. Class sizes must be reduced, support for student welfare and learning must be increased, and the well-being of professional staff must be secured.

With the introduction of counties, education will play an even greater role in municipal operations. Approximately half of municipal spending goes to education. We want to ensure sufficient funding for education in the future. Municipalities have a significant responsibility in developing and maintaining knowledge and education in Finland.

Petteri Orpo’s government promised special protection for education but broke its promise by cutting education funding. These cuts have particularly undermined vocational education. We want to correct the government’s mistakes at the municipal level and guarantee all children and young people a high-quality educational pathway, from early childhood education to primary school and secondary education (whether general or vocational), as well as a smooth transition to higher education or employment. Our core principles include promoting equality and fairness, ensuring free education, and investing in sufficient and competent staff.

The primary school’s role is to help students discover learning methods that suit them and find direction for their lives. This requires multi-professional cooperation, including high-quality student counseling, special education, and subject-specific instruction. Education also plays a crucial role in enhancing social mobility. Every child should acquire the skills needed for secondary education during basic education, ensuring that no one is left behind or suffers from burnout.

Daycare centers and primary schools are also places where early signs of problems in a child or family can be detected. Staff in early childhood education and schools must have the time and expertise to intervene early to prevent issues from escalating and to provide support or referrals to other services.

A person’s life is a continuous process of learning and development. We also want municipalities to invest in lifelong learning opportunities for people of all ages. There is no upper age limit for education and dreams. Education and knowledge are supported by other essential public services, such as libraries, cultural services, active organizations, and hobby activities.

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We Ensure Sufficient Resources for Learning and Support

• We guarantee adequate funding and staffing to provide high-quality education and teaching, ensuring a peaceful working environment in schools.
• We ensure that secondary education remains free of charge.
• We ensure that all children and young people have access to qualified teachers and other school staff, both in schools and daycare centers.
• We reduce class sizes to improve learning outcomes and the well-being of students and staff.
• We ensure there are enough small groups, special education teachers, and teaching assistants.
• We ensure that teachers continue to receive salaries during summer breaks. Teachers also deserve vacation and stable working conditions.
• We secure resources for student welfare services and promote multi-sectoral cooperation with counties.
• We strengthen the connection between early childhood education and schools and ensure effective service pathways for families in healthcare, family services, child protection, and social services.
• We preserve and expand proven best practices by ensuring that school counselors and psychologists remain an integral part of school communities.
• We improve career counseling and work experience programs (TET-weeks) to challenge gender stereotypes, prevent racism, and reduce gender segregation in different fields.
• We secure resources for student welfare services in cooperation with counties. We ensure that school counselors and psychologists remain integrated into school communities. We provide high-quality career counseling and special education support.
• We promote a diverse family support model, ensuring that student welfare services operate within the same networks as other family services.
• We recruit enough school youth workers to support students. These workers should be approachable adults who can provide quick support and help improve school well-being.
• We ensure the well-being of school and education staff by maintaining a sufficient number of trained educators and school personnel, investing in good leadership, and offering flexible work arrangements and professional development opportunities.
• We work to improve literacy and increase reading enthusiasm in every school, making literacy a priority project in education.
• We guarantee every student’s right to appropriate learning materials, including physical textbooks and printed materials when needed.
• We ensure that vocational institutions have enough teachers and sufficient career counseling personnel to provide high-quality education that meets labor market needs.
• We ensure that vocational institutions offer special education support and secure the continued operation of special vocational education institutions.
• We pay special attention to student integration and social cohesion in vocational education, especially in areas where dropout rates are high and continuous admissions challenge group formation.
• All education should be inclusive and accommodate diverse functional abilities, ensuring that every student has equal learning opportunities.

We Make Education Accessible and Support Families

• Our goal is for municipalities to transition to free early childhood education. As a first step, we will introduce a tiered fee system, making early childhood education more attractive while improving work-life balance for parents of young children.
• We promote two-year preschool education and ensure that preschool education for five- and six-year-olds is free of charge.
• We ensure that early childhood education is primarily provided by municipalities. Private providers may complement municipal services, but we prevent private actors from dominating the market.
• We recognize children with immigrant backgrounds as a specific group and invest in teaching Finnish and Swedish as second languages, including in preparatory education. We support bilingual education in children’s native languages whenever possible, even if the language is neither Finnish nor Swedish.
• We guarantee Sami language education for Sami students.
• We support cooperation between daycare centers and child and family services. Municipalities should actively participate in developing family centers.
• We invest in early intervention, organizational collaboration, and family support services.
• We secure funding for arts education, community colleges, and adult education institutions, ensuring the continued operation of free education initiatives.
• We support lifelong learning by increasing opportunities for people of all ages to learn and develop new skills. We also ensure that study opportunities remain affordable for all.
• We improve access to education for marginalized groups by expanding citizen education programs, offering knowledge and social capital to those not covered by other education systems.
• We support children with two homes by ensuring they can access services in both households.
• We ensure that each municipality continues to create local preschool and equality plans for daycare centers, despite government efforts to abolish them. We ensure that these plans are effectively implemented to promote equality and inclusion.
• We provide daycare centers with tools to promote equality, such as staff training and targeted additional resources.
• We ensure that there is sufficient staff in education and early childhood pedagogy. We enhance the appeal of the profession and encourage staff retention through strong leadership, professional development opportunities, specialization options, and competitive salaries.
• We secure high-quality preparatory education (HUX) before formal studies and ensure access to education across the country.
• We incorporate practical measures to counter segregation, discrimination, and racism in equality plans for early childhood education and schools and in gender equality plans to promote gender-aware education.

We Ensure a Safe and Healthy Learning Environment and School Routes for Children and Young People

• We make every municipality child-friendly. All municipal decisions must be reviewed from a children’s rights perspective, and policies should be made to realize children’s rights. We introduce child budgeting and integrate impact assessments on children and youth into all decision-making.
• We effectively prevent school violence and create a safe school environment where everyone can work in peace. We address problems immediately, listen to all affected parties in time, and collaborate with all relevant stakeholders.
• We adjust school start times for middle and high school students so that classes begin no earlier than 9:00 AM.
• We train municipal employees in gender-aware education and pedagogy, as well as in understanding gender and sexual diversity.
• We maintain and improve daycare and school buildings and playgrounds, ensuring they are both safe and pleasant. Schoolyards should be designed to encourage physical activity and provide daily interaction with nature. Existing trees should be preserved whenever possible, and more shaded areas should be created for children.
• We design school buildings and playgrounds to be accessible for residents outside school hours, making them available for community use.
• We construct pedagogically suitable schools and daycare centers with versatile spaces that inspire learning. The buildings should be designed to support focus and calm environments for students and staff alike.
• We encourage municipalities to develop sustainability, environmental, and climate education, and urge schools to apply for the Green Flag certification as well as other national sustainability education certifications.
• We add one extra hour of physical activity to every school day and ensure that even preschool children get enough exercise.
• We promote active school commutes by ensuring that school routes and drop-off areas are safe and encouraging children and young people of all ages to walk or cycle to school—either for the entire journey or part of it.
• We zone areas near existing schools for residential development to allow as many children and young people as possible to have a nearby school and travel to school independently.

Non-discrimination, equality, and the right of every person to have housing and participate in municipal activities are key to a good everyday life for all. At the municipal level, we work to correct the policies of the national government that contribute to inequality. We ensure that no one is left behind.

High housing costs are one of the main factors leading to poverty. Having a home provides stability to navigate life’s challenges, while losing one’s home can lead to a cascade of other problems. Finland has previously been a global leader in eliminating homelessness, but under Orpo’s government, housing insecurity has increased: evictions are on the rise, and many people have been forced to move to inadequate housing as they can no longer afford their previous homes.

Budget cuts will increase homelessness, just as the government’s elimination of housing support measures will: reductions in housing benefits, state-subsidized housing production, rental rights housing, and housing advisory services all contribute to housing instability. Making it harder for young people to secure housing delays their path to independence. Our municipal role is to counter the government’s housing policies that discriminate against low-income residents and ensure that everyone can find an affordable home. Housing supply should be diverse, enabling different types of living arrangements, from co-housing and single-person apartments to homes suitable for families of various compositions. Students must also have access to affordable and suitable housing, and we take the needs of international students into account.

Municipalities must actively ensure that no one is discriminated against based on their background, gender, sexual orientation, functional ability, or any other personal characteristic. Everyone should be guaranteed the opportunity to participate in and influence municipal activities. By ensuring that everyone has a safe and meaningful daily life with opportunities for self-fulfillment, we counter hopelessness, which can undermine social stability.

Society must be built on the terms of all residents. Public spaces—from bus stops to parks—should be designed to be accessible to everyone, regardless of their mode of mobility, sensory abilities, or financial situation. Promoting diversity and ensuring genuine equality require active integration efforts that encourage participation. Promoting diversity allows minority groups to be heard, reduces discrimination, and strengthens equality in Finnish society.

Every child and young person deserves a safe environment and reliable adults around them. To prevent violence, cross-sectoral cooperation is needed, and the expertise of educators and youth professionals must be continuously updated. In addition to identifying and addressing issues, schools must foster stronger inclusion and community to prevent violence.

Youth crime and violence can be prevented through respectful interaction with young people, early intervention in substance abuse, emotional education, and access to low-threshold leisure activities provided by various organizations. Early collaboration between schools, police, and social services has proven to be an effective method of prevention.

Municipalities must ensure that women experiencing violence and domestic abuse have quick and easy access to support services. Expert organizations working with domestic violence play a key role, and municipalities must collaborate closely with these organizations to combat violence and its consequences.

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We Combat Poverty and Homelessness

• We keep housing costs at a reasonable level for everyone. To counteract government cuts to housing benefits, we increase the supply of affordable rental housing and develop new hybrid models between rental and ownership to compensate for the elimination of state-supported rental housing programs.
• We consider the housing needs of different population groups. We ensure that there are enough homes for special groups, such as students, young people, seniors, people with disabilities, single-person households, and families of various sizes.
• We eliminate homelessness by 2027 through joint actions across counties.
  • We guarantee every individual the right to housing, following the “Housing First” principle.
  • We improve housing advisory services and other support programs in collaboration with the third sector.

We Promote Equality, Equal Rights, and Human Rights

• Municipalities will promote gender equality in budgeting through gender-responsive budgeting. If necessary, training will be provided for municipal officials on the subject.
• We develop ambitious equality and non-discrimination plans at the municipal level and ensure sufficient resources for their implementation.
• We strengthen impact assessments of decisions affecting fundamental and human rights, gender equality, and non-discrimination and appoint responsible persons to oversee implementation.
• We increase training for policymakers, government officials, municipal employees, and subcontractors on human rights, diversity, gender equality, and anti-racism.
• We design municipal services to be accessible to various minority groups. Municipal employees must be trained to consider diversity in both their daily work and service planning.
• We ensure that municipalities and government offices raise the Pride flag to celebrate Pride Month or their local Pride events.
• We strengthen municipal efforts to combat violence against women, sexual harassment, and misogyny by raising awareness, improving prevention strategies, and taking swift action against perpetrators.
• We secure sufficient resources for organizations working to prevent domestic violence and support victims.
  • We ensure that each municipality has a trained professional responsible for addressing domestic violence.
  • We ensure that municipalities follow the recommendations of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) regarding the coordination of domestic violence prevention efforts.
• In cooperation with counties, we train social and healthcare professionals to recognize and address various forms of violence, including economic abuse.

We Invest in Young People

• We ensure that every municipality has a youth center or other gathering places for young people that are also safe spaces for LGBTQ+ youth and minority youth.
• We secure funding for outreach youth work.
• Through outreach youth work, we ensure that young people have access to safe adults in the places where they spend their free time.
• We ensure LGBTQ+ competence in youth services. LGBTQ+ youth work supports the well-being and participation of LGBTQ+ young people.
• We improve the skills and methods of education personnel to support children, young people, and their families before problems escalate.
• We prevent violence by strengthening the participation of young people and parents. We foster inclusion and community building through increased dialogue in schools and educational institutions.
• We involve young people and parents in efforts to prevent violence and gang formation.
• We combat youth crime by funding collaborative programs between the police, social services, schools, and youth services. Through these anchor programs, we address young people’s difficult life situations at an early stage.

We Ensure That Everyone Has a Smooth Everyday Life

• We prioritize accessibility, both physically and mentally, in all municipal activities, environments, and procurements. For example, by building high-quality walking and cycling infrastructure, we improve physical accessibility.
• We ensure that all cities conduct winter maintenance with accessibility in mind.
• We ensure that there is sufficient space for non-commercial activities in public places. We increase the number of quiet areas and relaxation spaces.
• We ensure that urban planning considers seating and resting areas for those who need them.
• We develop libraries as social meeting places.
• We require free access to public transportation for people using strollers, stretchers, walkers, wheelchairs, and other mobility aids. We provide clear information about the accessibility of public transport routes.
• We require public transport providers to offer easy and immediate incident reporting, such as through a mobile app.
• We ensure that public authorities provide a separate easy-to-read communication option, including on municipal websites.

We Strengthen Residents’ Participation and Engagement

• We increase citizens’ influence, participation, and decision-making power, for example, through participatory budgeting and resident councils. We assess the impact of decisions on different groups and consult people on issues that affect them.
• We provide clear and easily accessible information about public decision-making and ensure it is available in places where people naturally gather. Government and municipal information should be freely available to all citizens without barriers.
• We demand transparency in both decision-making and municipal administration.
• We clarify the role of municipal bodies that oversee non-discrimination and inclusion. These bodies must have real influence to effectively carry out their duties. These include youth councils, immigrant councils, senior councils, disability councils, and gender equality commissions.
• We increase democracy education in all schools and educational institutions.
• We strengthen young people’s participation in municipal decision-making and develop youth councils’ influence. We give special attention to young people’s views on decisions that affect them.

We Strengthen Immigrants’ Participation and Engagement in Society

• We promote the inclusion of immigrants in community-building activities alongside other residents. We consider the specific needs of special groups in municipal services, such as supporting children’s access to hobbies.
• We support immigrants’ own youth, employment, entrepreneurship, sports, and cultural initiatives.
• We develop accessible methods and channels for participation and influence. We actively provide multilingual and easy-to-read information about democracy and political engagement opportunities.
• We ensure that municipal immigrant councils have the necessary resources and equal opportunities to participate in local decision-making.
• We promote plain language and multilingualism in municipal cultural offerings and communications.
• We actively offer immigrants opportunities to learn Finnish or Swedish.
  • We enable language studies even before arriving in Finland, for example, through online distance learning, to facilitate integration.
  • We develop integration services tailored for people coming directly to work in Finland.
  • We guarantee access to education and language training for those caring for children at home.

A high employment rate is the best way to increase municipal revenues. The future of Finland’s economy and job market is strongly linked to the ability of municipalities and cities to respond to challenges in a rapidly changing world. More and more, the solutions to economic challenges, well-being, and the climate crisis are being implemented at the local level. The Green Party invests in education and employment, as well as the opportunities presented by the green transition and circular economy, so that municipalities can adapt to change and ensure residents’ well-being in a sustainable way.

Municipalities can use their own initiatives to promote sustainable economic development, create new jobs, and support climate action. A sustainable municipal economy is also heavily dependent on the state. State subsidies and investment support should be maintained at a sufficient level, even during the early years following the county reform.

Regional disparities in Finland have increased. In major cities, rapid population growth has required significant investments in education, infrastructure, and services. Meanwhile, areas experiencing population decline struggle to maintain services and cope with financial difficulties. Municipalities must adapt to the specific needs of their region and develop locally sustainable solutions to preserve services and promote economic vitality.

Municipalities and new employment areas are responsible for regional economic development. Municipalities should be proactive in creating new jobs and fostering sustainable business activities. The Green Party wants to invest in future industries such as the circular economy, clean technology, and digitalization. Investing in these fields not only drives environmentally friendly development but also creates new jobs and strengthens the local economy. Municipalities must recognize and leverage the connections between education, skills, innovation, and economic growth.

Projects related to renewable energy, when developed in suitable locations, will bring investments, jobs, and valuable tax revenues—particularly to depopulating municipalities—helping them maintain essential public services. Therefore, we support increasing property tax revenues from power plants and ensuring that these revenues go directly to municipalities instead of the state.

Municipal public procurement plays a key role in supporting sustainable growth and the viability of local businesses. Well-planned and properly targeted investments are more profitable in the long run than short-term budget cuts.

Both Professionally Produced Culture and Arts & Cultural Hobbies Play a Significant Role in the Vitality of Municipalities.

Municipalities are also major employers. Being a good employer improves both employee well-being and productivity. We make municipalities child- and family-friendly, ensuring that municipal policies support young people’s future prospects and families’ ability to have as many children as they desire.

Promoting employment is one of the most important goals of municipal policy, especially since employment and economic services have been transferred to municipalities and the new employment regions. Municipalities and employment regions must focus on ensuring access to a skilled workforce and create a labor market that adapts to economic changes. Additionally, municipalities must ensure that immigrants and international students can smoothly enter the workforce. Higher employment rates among foreign workers and immigrants will support municipal economies and help alleviate labor shortages.

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We Make Municipal Finances Sustainable and Create Opportunities for Businesses to Succeed

• We ensure that economic policies and new investments support climate and environmental goals. Green transition projects should not come at the expense of biodiversity or Indigenous peoples’ rights. We identify and harness the potential of the green transition as a prerequisite for municipal success.
• We create space for successful businesses in municipalities by considering their needs comprehensively, such as zoning business plots and ensuring the availability of skilled labor. Successful companies contribute significantly to municipal tax revenues.
• Together with businesses, we develop a municipal vitality program based on the municipality’s strengths and regional potential.
• We develop green transition action plans in municipalities and strengthen inter-municipal cooperation by establishing renewable energy competence clusters. We also leverage EU funding for these projects.
• We create added value for low-yield agricultural land by promoting large-scale solar power projects, ensuring that nature and landscape conservation are considered.
• We especially support economically weaker municipalities in Eastern Finland by promoting wind power production and removing barriers related to the electricity grid, infrastructure, and military radar systems. All Finnish municipalities should have the opportunity to benefit from the economic advantages of the green transition.
• We develop procurement expertise among elected officials and municipal staff to ensure that small and local businesses can participate in public procurements.
• We ensure that entrepreneurial services are well-functioning, offering business advisory services for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and ensuring that all municipal business services are easily accessible in one place.
• We implement concrete actions for the strategic circular economy program and ensure sufficient resources for its execution. We integrate circular economy goals and principles into municipal, service, and procurement strategies. We set binding public procurement criteria to promote the demand for circular economy solutions.
• We engage local high schools, universities, and students in strengthening municipal vitality, for example, through research projects, business collaborations, and initiatives to meet labor market demands.
• We improve the sustainability of tourism by reducing the negative environmental impact of travel and promoting employment opportunities in sustainable tourism, such as eco-tourism and cultural tourism.

We Support and Help People Enter the Workforce

• The employment service reform must immediately integrate employment services with education and economic development services to facilitate employment and better align labor supply with market demand.
• We offer job opportunities to young people and students within municipalities and encourage other employers to hire them through summer job vouchers.
• We strengthen cooperation between municipalities and welfare regions in the employment service reform to support the employment of long-term unemployed individuals and ensure proper assessment of work capacity.
• We provide workforce training in collaboration with vocational institutions.
• We support employment for people of all ages and in diverse life situations. We offer flexible pathways for individuals with disabilities and others with special employment needs to enter the labor market. We create incentives that encourage hiring people over 50.
• We ensure high-quality and equitable integration services for immigrants by facilitating access to Finnish or Swedish language training and job market entry. We strengthen cooperation between adult education centers and municipalities to improve integration efforts.
• We enhance opportunities for unemployed individuals to retrain and encourage lifelong learning and professional development.
• We provide adequate employment subsidy placements and meaningful work opportunities for those receiving wage subsidies. We establish attractive and impactful municipal job workshops, offering long-term unemployed individuals a stepping stone into permanent employment.
• In collaboration with the state, we simplify immigration processes and make it easier for immigrants to stay in Finland after completing their studies.
• We make our cities more attractive to international professionals by supporting employment opportunities for their spouses and offering daycare and education in English for their children.
• We make municipalities good employers, investing in workplace well-being and good leadership. As employers, municipalities support employees in different life situations, such as balancing work and family life.
• We utilize various strategies to improve equal employment opportunities. In public procurement contracts, we require that projects create employment opportunities for people with disabilities and others with adapted work capacity.

Culture and art are essential parts of our humanity, vitality, and richness as human beings. Beyond their immeasurable intrinsic value, they are key factors in the well-being of the entire society. Hobbies and sports contribute to people’s well-being and bring meaning to life. We in the Green Party ensure that art and culture are accessible to everyone.

Culture and leisure activities bring people together, provide experiences, encourage physical activity, and create well-being—not to mention their employment impact and positive effect on mental health. That’s why barriers should be low for people to visit libraries, attend concerts, or start a new hobby.

Supporting and organizing cultural activities is important even in difficult economic times. Studies show that culture enhances municipalities’ attractiveness, helps them retain residents, and benefits businesses and tourism. A diverse cultural scene attracts people to move to a municipality, strengthens their sense of community, and encourages them to stay. A strong cultural offering supports growth in the service sector, shifts consumption from goods to services, and contributes to a more sustainable economy.

Meaningful recreational sports and regular physical activity promote well-being. In a Green municipality, there is a wide range of leisure activities for people of all ages and backgrounds. The local natural environment and an infrastructure that encourages movement further enhance health and happiness. Municipalities should provide local recreational areas, natural forests, and undeveloped shorelines, ensuring that everyone has access to nature and the opportunity to exercise. With good urban planning, we encourage people to move actively and independently, such as by walking and cycling.

actions

We Ensure That Culture and Sports Are for Everyone

• We secure library funding and ensure that libraries have sufficient resources to continue functioning as accessible local services.
• We develop libraries into community hubs, expanding services to include object lending and making them venues for meetings and events.
• We create a cultural education plan to ensure access to arts and cultural activities in early childhood education and primary schools, reducing inequalities. We familiarize children and youth with libraries and cultural offerings by incorporating cultural experience trails and youth passes into education.
• We secure the operation and funding of cultural and arts institutions as well as museums.
• We organize and support a wide range of cultural activities and artistic experiences for all ages. We promote active aging and social inclusion by offering rich cultural programs and supporting arts education for municipal residents, especially children and young people.
• We support professionals in creative industries, creating work opportunities by increasing public art funding and providing free or low-cost spaces for artists and cultural actors.
• We enable street art by increasing the number of public painting walls.
• We regularly provide cultural services, such as concerts, artistic experiences, and theater performances, in daycares, schools, and care institutions.
• We improve access to cultural and sports services for low-income residents and special groups, for example, through discounts and free services.
• We protect cultural and architectural heritage responsibly, ensuring that historical layers of the built environment are preserved while allowing new layers to develop.
• We implement the one-percent principle for public art, meaning that a certain percentage of construction project costs should be allocated to public art.

We Support Community and Leisure Activities

• We support essential cultural and sports organizations through municipal grants. Organizations receiving municipal funding must act responsibly and promote sustainability and equality.
• We encourage and facilitate vibrant city culture, making public spaces in urban areas lively while fostering cultural activities that create a sense of community in villages and small towns.
• We develop a municipal physical activity program that involves all administrative sectors to encourage citizens to be more active, involving various organizations in this effort.
• We strengthen cooperation with student organizations and school sports programs to promote physical activity guidance.
• We ensure affordable, accessible, and attractive opportunities for physical activity for all age groups and special populations.
• We ensure that people of all ages can try new, meaningful activities with low barriers to entry. We provide at least one free hobby opportunity for every child and young person.
• We maintain and improve sports facilities while encouraging everyday physical activity.
• We build more dog parks, making them social spaces for both dogs and people.
• We increase physical activity during school breaks and in morning and afternoon care programs, ensuring that students have access to exercise and recreation during the school day—even those with long commutes.
• We introduce tiered fees for morning and afternoon activities, ensuring that high-quality, safe activities are available for all first- and second-grade students, as well as third- to sixth-grade students with special needs. We support participation in hobby groups for children and youth from low-income families.
• We strengthen school partnerships with recreational organizations, such as through Finland’s Hobby Model.
• We ensure accessibility to outdoor sports facilities by building more playgrounds, skateparks, fitness trails, outdoor gyms, and green walking paths.
• We prioritize flexible and multi-functional spaces, increasing the availability of existing facilities for community groups, organizations, and individuals to engage in cultural activities in the most varied, flexible, and affordable way possible.
• We provide suitable spaces for art enthusiasts, such as amateur bands and theater groups, to store instruments and stage props.
• We ensure seamless cooperation between municipalities and welfare regions to promote residents’ well-being and health.
• We collaborate with organizations and the third sector to promote health and well-being, ensuring effective coordination of municipal and regional grants.