IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE ELECTIONS intense coverage has been afforded to the issues that Finland’s incoming government faces. While many publications have highlighted the falling birth rate as a major concern, this week one international outlet went as far as describing Finland as ‘Europe’s Japan’, stressing that decades of ‘stagflation’ and decline lie ahead if current trends continue. 

IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN.This week the UN’s annualWorld Happiness Report revealed that Finland has retained its top position as the “world’s happiest country” for the second year running, prompting several articles and opinion pieces about what Finland does differently. The US-based hipster bibleVicetook a slightly different approach, uploading aYouTube video questioning whether Finns are actually happy in any emotional sense.

MUCH OF THIS WEEK’S international coverage of Finland concerned the formation of the national government, which will be bringing the first left-wing prime minister in over 20 years into power. 

Much of the coverage from major publications concerned the progressive and ambitious policy proposals of the incoming government, as well as the fact that the majority of the cabinet is female.  

INTERNATIONAL COVERAGE OF FINLAND this week was dominated by the results of the national election, which saw the ruling conservative coalition lose its majority, whilst the far-right Finns Party crept up to second place.  

All of the major global news outlets have offered their own analysis of the shock results, with opinions ranging from incredulity to dismay to optimism. Some outlets focused on what the results signify about the future of EU elections and the entrenchment of far-right populists on the political scene.  

A MAJOR STORY concerning Finland in the international press this week centered on an upcoming white nationalist conference in Turku, which will host prominent hate figures and neo-Nazis from the US, Ukraine, Sweden, and Russia. The conference, known as ‘Awakening II’, will feature speakers from across the spectrum of the growing right-wing “identitarian movement” in Europe.  

FINLAND MADE GLOBAL HEADLINES THIS WEEKfollowing the release of a report from the National Archives that concluded it was “highly likely” that Finnish volunteers participated in the large-scale killing of Jews during the Holocaust. National newspapers and public figures in the US, UK, and Israel commented on the revelations that Finnish volunteers working for the Nazi SS participated in mass murder, while praising the decision of the National Archives to publish the findings.

ONE WIDELY-SHARED ARTICLE in the world press this week came from a popular science magazine which revealed that despite Finland’s efforts to fight climate change, the country is actually warming up at double the global average rate. They also interviewed Finland’s former environment minister to get her thoughts on the looming ecological catastrophe.  

ONE OF THE MAJOR STORIES concerning Finland in the international press this week was the revelation that it is officially the fittest country in the world, according to the latest rankings by the World Health Organization.  

VISIT FINLAND’S LATEST PR INITIATIVEgrabbed headlines around the world this week, one which promises happiness-starved travellers a chance to “rent a Finn” to show them around the country. The scheme is open to applicants from anywhere in the world,

with successful entrants being awarded an all-expenses-paid trip around the country, accompanied by a happy Finn who will show them the secret to “the Finnish way of life”.

THE RESIGNATION OF THE FINNISH GOVERNMENT dominated international headlines about Finland this week, with editorials displaying a mixture of surprise, concern, and bafflement at the decision.

Juha Sipilä’s resignation over a failure to deliver promised wide-ranging reforms to health and social care has been described by the international press as cynical, justified, and unnecessary in equal measure. 

FINLAND CAPTURED THE ATTENTION of sports desks around the world this week following their stunning victory at the world hockey championship finals in Bratislava. Much of the focus was on how Finland managed to beat firm favourites Canada despite not having a single NHL player on their roster, something which has only happened once before in the history of the tournament.  

A WIDELY-READ ARTICLE published this week in the British newspaper The Telegraph attracted plenty of commentary for its comparison of WW2-era Finland to the current state of politics in the United Kingdom.  

The lengthy piece, written by a prominent historian, argues that the Finnish government’s response to successive crises should serve as a role model for a post-Brexit UK, concluding that the country “needs its own General Mannerheim”.  

A MAJOR NEWS STORY in the international press this week concerned Thursday’s announcement that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will be heading to Finland to participate in the 22nd annual meeting of the Arctic Council on May 7. 

THIS WEEK IT WAS REVEALEDthat the scale of undocumented refugees and asylum seekers in Finland is much greater than anyone anticipated. Recent reports have shown that as many as half of the 30,000 asylum seekers that entered Finland at the height of the refugee crisis may have “slipped underground”, with authorities having little to no details on their whereabouts or wellbeing.

This has been attributed to Finland’s notoriously strict laws on seeking asylum and gaining legal residency in the country.

FOLLOWING CALLS FROM US PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMPfor European allies to “take back” jihadists who left their countries to join IS, Finland took steps to prepare for such an eventuality.

Unlike countries such as the UK and France, which have already refused to accept former IS fighters back into the country and have even taken steps to revoke their citizenship, Finland has taken a more conciliatory tone.

WITH ELECTORAL CAMPAIGNING HEATING UP, the international media is beginning to focus its attention on Russia’s role in interfering with elections, and the Finnish government’s defensive response. Russia has faced allegations of using an army of “trolls” and bots to spread misinformation about electoral candidates across Europe, as part of an effort to swing public opinion toward more right-wing, pro-Russian parties.

Finland received attentionfrom international news outlets this week when the parliament debated whether to make unsolicited sexting an offense punishable by law. Finnish lawmakers claimed that sending someone explicit photos without their permission constitutes sexual harassment and is comparable to unwanted physical contact. 

Finnish Prime MinisterSanna Marinwas also the subject of speculation this week,

THIS WEEK IN THE WORLD PRESS, the US business magazineForbesran a lengthy editorial about the Finnish concept of‘Sisu’, and how it can be compared to the “American Dream”.

Meanwhile,CBS Newshas been covering Finland’s social security system throughout the week as part of theirWorld of Mothers series. Several articles have been penned covering the lower costs of childcare in Finland, discussing why such a situation does not exist in the United States.

 International news outletsthis week highlighted how Finnish citizens have adapted well to social distancing, attributing their positive attitude towards isolation to a culture that values personal space. 

The Finn’s natural propensity for solitude, coupled with the country’s low population density and remote location has aided in its fight against COVID-19. 

INTERNATIONAL NEWS OUTLETS THIS WEEK began to take notice of the recent surge in support for the far-right Finns Party, which has seen them go from sixth to second place in the polls, closely trailing the Social Democrats by just a few percentage points. One American broadsheet described the development as evidence that ‘Trumpism’ has finally gained a foothold in Finland, whilst also suggesting that Finn’s viewpoints on migration are divorced from reality.