The recent disclosure that Minister of Social Affairs and Health, Kaisa Juuso of the Finns Party, has employed her own son as a Parliamentary Assistant has sparked significant debate across Finland regarding nepotism in politics.
In light of this controversy, Pertti Rauhio, the Parliamentary Administrative Director, indicated to Iltalehti that he is contemplating a proposal to shift the responsibility for hiring Parliamentary Assistants away from Parliament itself. Instead, he suggests that the various Parliamentary party groups take on this duty.
This potential change hinges on the approval of the legislature’s Committee Secretariat, according to the newspaper’s report. If realized, the new hiring structure would be implemented in the spring of 2027, coinciding with Finland’s next parliamentary elections.
Rauhio’s plan would grant Parliamentary groups a budget to recruit assistants, allowing them to organize their staffing “as they see fit.” Currently, many of these groups already operate under this model, with 16 Members of the Finns Party employing assistants in this manner. The remaining 29 MPs from the party follow the traditional route, relying on Parliament’s centralized hiring process.
At present, the prerequisites for serving as a PA are minimal, including being over the age of 18 and successfully passing a security clearance. “There are no additional requirements,” Iltalehti remarked.
In a related development, Finns Party Secretary Harri Vuorenpää announced on Wednesday that the party intends to prohibit its MPs from hiring family members or close relatives as their assistants.
Iltalehti highlighted that the practice of MPs employing relatives is not particularly new in Finland, tracing its origins to the late 1990s when lawmakers were allowed to engage PAs. Notable examples include Juhani Alaranta of the Centre Party and Anssi Rauramo from the NCP, both of whom hired their sons, while Tuulikki Hämäläinen of the SDP employed her daughter, and Tuija Nurmi from the NCP hired her retired father.
A Historic Vote at the Helsinki Finnish Club
On Thursday evening, members of the exclusively male Helsinki Finnish Club, as reported by the Swedish-language daily Hufvudstadsbladet, voted on a proposal to admit women as members. The results reflected a divided stance, with 66.5 percent in favor and 33.5 percent opposed. Notably, a 75 percent majority is necessary to amend the club’s rules.
Forewarning the vote, eight of the club’s nine board members announced their intention to resign if the proposal did not pass. This is not the first time the club has grappled with the notion of female membership.
According to HBL, nearly the entire board is set to retire by year’s end, with a new board to be elected next month.
Club Chair Brother Pekka Dufva expressed his disappointment at the vote’s outcome. “The board has endeavored to broaden the membership base, which is critical for the club’s mission and financial sustainability. It’s disheartening that a minority has stalled this initiative, leading eight of us to believe we cannot continue under these circumstances,” Dufva stated in a press release, as cited by HBL.
Established nearly 150 years ago, the Helsinki Finnish Club is dedicated to preserving Finnish culture in the heart of the city.
A Teacher’s Burden: Medical Bills After an Incident
In a troubling case reported by Helsingin Sanomat, a daycare teacher in Vantaa, Alissa Mettälä, finds herself grappling with unexpected medical expenses she believes are tied to a job-related incident.
Mettälä’s ordeal began at the end of January while assisting a young child to put on their outerwear. Employed by the City of Vantaa as a contracted daycare teacher, she bent down to help when the child suddenly jumped up, striking her forcefully in the jaw.
The impact brought her immediate pain, leading to tears and prompting her to contact the Occupational Health Office and file an accident report. Subsequently, she was referred to a private healthcare provider for a medical evaluation.
There, a physician assessed her injuries and recommended a specialist, concluding that she suffered from a bruised ear and jaw due to the incident.
According to Mettälä, the doctor indicated that the nature of her injuries pointed towards a physical impact, although this detail was not formally recorded in her medical file. Helsingin Sanomat has reviewed the physician’s notes, which confirm that the incident did occur, and also noted a diagnosis of sinusitis.
While her pain lessened over time, she was later hit with another setback—medical bills exceeding 200 euros for specialist visits, all addressed to her rather than the City of Vantaa or her insurance provider, Pohjola.
Pohjola has since declined to cover her medical expenses, arguing that her pain and treatment are attributable to her sinusitis and bruxism (teeth grinding), not her workplace accident.
Currently appealing the insurance firm’s decision, Mettälä continues to face unresolved bills. In an attempt to draw attention to her plight, she took to social media, sharing her story. The response has been substantial, with her TikTok video garnering over 350,000 views, ultimately leading to media coverage of her predicament.
“I feel compelled to advocate not just for myself but for countless others in similar situations. If I simply acquiesce and pay these bills, it could set a troubling precedent for insurance companies,” Mettälä shared in an interview.