Speaker of Parliament Jussi Halla-aho and Deputy Speaker Paula Risikko at a media briefing on a current parliamentary security matter in Parliament’s Hall of State on Thursday, 1 October 2026. Photo: Heikki Saukkomaa / Lehtikuva

Finnish police have opened a preliminary inquiry into suspected unauthorised entries at the homes of some MPs after Parliament reported a series of unexplained signs inside residences. Speaker Jussi Halla-aho said the number of cases was “considerable”, while police said the inquiry is still at an early stage now.

The suspected incidents involve homes used by MPs, mainly in Helsinki, and stretch across a period of about a year. Halla-aho said there were no signs of forced entry and no property had been stolen or damaged.

National Coalition Party chair and Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, vice-chairs Karoliina Partanen, Antti Häkkänen and Sari Multala, party secretary Maggie Keskinen, party council chair Arto Satonen and parliamentary group chair Jukka Kopra presented the party’s economic policy programme for strengthening public finances during the next parliamentary term in Helsinki on 30 September 2026. Photo: Emmi Korhonen / Lehtikuva

Finland’s National Coalition Party (Kokoomus) has proposed €9 billion in public spending reductions for the next parliamentary term, with the largest savings aimed at healthcare and pensions. The party says €1 billion of the total would fund selected investments and reforms, leaving a net fiscal adjustment of €8 billion.

Prime Minister and party leader Petteri Orpo presented the programme on Wednesday with members of the party leadership.

Social Affairs and Health Minister Wille Rydman of the Finns Party speaks during a plenary session of the Finnish Parliament in Helsinki on 20 May 2026. Photo: Antti Aimo-Koivisto / Lehtikuva

Finland’s Chancellor of Justice has criticised Social Affairs and Health Minister Wille Rydman and his ministry over the preparation of new criteria for state grants to social welfare and health organisations, saying their wording risked giving a false impression of how funding decisions would be made.

Chancellor of Justice Janne Salminen issued his decision on Tuesday after receiving several complaints concerning the criteria for grants distributed by the Funding Centre for Social Welfare and Health Organisations, known as STEA.

SDP’s Tytti Tuppurainen (left) and Antti Lindtman during a plenary session of Parliament in Helsinki on 22 September 2026. The SDP is seeking a vote of no confidence in the government over what it describes as inconsistencies in its Middle East policy. Photo: Emmi Korhonen / Lehtikuva

Finland’s opposition Social Democratic Party (SDP) will seek a vote of no confidence in Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s government, accusing the governing coalition of sending conflicting messages over Finland’s Middle East policy.

SDP chair Antti Lindtman, parliamentary group chair Tytti Tuppurainen and Foreign Affairs Committee chair Johannes Koskinen said on Sunday that disagreements within the government had created uncertainty over Finland’s foreign and security policy.

Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen (NCP) made a working visit to Lebanon and Israel from 13 to 18 September 2026. In Lebanon, Häkkänen met UNIFIL commanders and Finnish peacekeepers serving in the operation. Photo: Ministry of Defence

Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen faces a no-confidence move in parliament after his visit to Israel and meeting with Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz prompted criticism from opposition parties. The Greens have questioned who approved the meeting and whether it reflected the government’s wider policy towards Israel.

Häkkänen visited Lebanon and Israel from 13 to 18 September. According to the Ministry of Defence, he met Katz, reviewed the David’s Sling air defence system purchased for the Finnish Defence Forces, examined Israeli civil defence arrangements and visited defence companies supplying Finland.

Centre Party chair Antti Kaikkonen (centre) and MPs Petri Honkonen (left) and Mika Riipi (right) held a press conference at the Centre Party headquarters in Helsinki on 15 September 2026. Photo: Heikki Saukkomaa / Lehtikuva

Finland’s Centre Party has proposed a restructuring of public administration that would end the current ministry structure, transfer state powers to municipalities and regions and expand the role of wellbeing services counties.

The opposition party presented its “local model” on Tuesday. Under the plan, Finland would have three elected levels of government: municipalities, regions and the state. The party wants to remove or combine administrative bodies operating between those levels.

File photo of the closed Vaalimaa border check point between Finland and Russia is seen in Virolahti, Finland. Photo: Lehtikuva

Finland’s government has formally proposed keeping the Border Security Act, also known as the “pushback law”, in force until the end of 2028, moving ahead with plans announced earlier this summer.

The Ministry of the Interior said on Thursday that the government wants to extend the legislation without changing its contents. The current law expires at the end of 2026.

Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Sari Essayah (left), Finance Minister Riikka Purra, Prime Minister Petteri Orpo and Education Minister Anders Adlercreutz presented the results of the government’s budget negotiations at a press conference in Helsinki on 1 September 2026. Photo: Saara Peltola / Lehtikuva

Finland’s government has agreed a €92.5 billion budget for 2027, including a €12.4 billion deficit, tax cuts and about €1 billion in additional spending savings.

Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said the government had completed its final budget negotiations of the parliamentary term in one day and argued that the economy had returned to growth.

“We have now got Finland back on its feet,” Orpo said at a press conference after the talks.

The government's budget negotiations began at the House of the Estates in Helsinki on 1 September 2026. Photo: Heikki Saukkomaa / Lehtikuva

Finland's government began its final budget negotiations on Tuesday with plans to implement about €1 billion in previously agreed savings, while ministers pointed to renewed economic growth as the basis for an expected improvement in employment.

Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said the government entered the talks after resolving most of the main political questions.

An internally displaced Palestinian man walks past the rubble of buildings destroyed by the Israeli military, in Khan Yunis southern Gaza Strip on August 11, 2026. The health ministry in Gaza said on August 11, that the overall death toll since the genocidal war broke out on October 7, 2023 now stands at: 73,387. It also said that 1,259 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas militants came into effect on October 10. Photo: Bashar Taleb / AFP / Lehtikuva

Finland’s opposition parties have criticised the government after Yle reported that Finland and Israel signed a 10-year memorandum on defence materiel cooperation during the genocidal war on Gaza without a public announcement from the Ministry of Defence.

The memorandum covers cooperation in the research, development and procurement of military products.