Finland

Finland has been ranked the happiest country in the world for the eighth consecutive year, according to the World Happiness Report 2025

The Service Union United announced a new strike in the retail sector, which will affect 41 companies and around 20.000 workers between 20 and 21 March, involving major retailers like Ikea, Gigantti, Suomalainen Kirjakauppa, Clas Ohlson and Musti ja Mirri

In the first months of 2025, the number of bankruptcies filed in Finland soared; in the third week of the year, 128 companies filed for bankruptcy, the highest weekly figure of the decade

In October 2025, Helsinki Cathedral will host a month of discussions on war and peace, with a large-scale installation of Mars by British artist Luke Jerram, the cathedral's second annual theme month, aimed at promoting social dialogue

The unemployment among Finland's highly educated workforce has risen to unprecedented levels, with over 52.000 graduates out of work at the end of 2024, according to Akava, the labour confederation representing professionals and managers

The Finnish Medicines Agency received 2.676 drug shortage notifications from pharmaceutical companies in 2024; most cases were resolved by replacing unavailable drugs with equivalent alternatives in pharmacies

Greenhouse gas emissions have diminished significantly in 2024 because of the decrease in the use of fossil fuels in energy production, lower transport emissions and the impact of less intensive deforestation according to Etla Economic Research

On New Year's Eve, a demonstration took place in the Helsinki metro with over 200 protesters gathering to oppose the imminent increase in public transport fares by Helsinki Region Transport

Fingrid, state-owned company operating the electricity grid in Finland, said that the transmission of electricity between Finland and Estonia via the Estlink 2 link is currently interrupted due to a fault of unknown origin for the time being

A legislative amendment was passed that will stop the payment of the national pension to beneficiaries residing outside Finland in EU and EEA countries, Switzerland and the UK, as of 1 February 2025

The Swedish People's Party in Espoo announced the formation of a multicultural committee with the aim of involving immigrants and non-native Finnish or Swedish speakers in local and national politics

With the intensification of wildlife movements in October and November, a seasonal peak in accidents with wildlife has been recorded; collisions with wild animals, particularly deer and roe deer, remain a concern, with around 13.000 accidents per year