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Radio | News week in plain Finnish | Saturday 9.8.2025

Finnish state budget.

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You can read the news simultaneously below.

The topic of the news week this time is the Finnish state budget.

Finance Minister Riikka Purra says that the Finnish government needs to save more money. Purra suggests that Finland can save money on immigration and university funding, for example. We will now tell you more about this topic.

Finance Minister Purra presents savings

Minister of Finance Riikka Purra answers media questions.

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Photo: Silja Viitala / Yle

This week, Finance Minister Rikka Purra presented a proposal on the use of Finnish state funds. Purra said that Finland must reduce spending by 900 million euros next year. Riikka Purra proposed that Finland no longer accept quota refugees. The proposal is that Finland cut more than 100 million euros from development cooperation.

Finance Minister Purra also suggested that various organizations would receive less money in the future than they do now. He suggested that the National Board of Education be closed down and university funding be reduced.

Purra said that cuts need to be made because the Finnish state has too much debt.

Purra’s proposals are opposed

![Minister of Labor Matias Marttinen.](https://images.cdn.yle.fi/image/upload/c_crop,h_3225,w_5735,x_0,y_350/ar_1.77777777777777 77,c_fill,g_faces,h_431,w_767/dpr_1.0/q_auto:eco/f_auto/fl_lossy/v1754640944/39-15044346895ae98a0415)

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Photo: Silja Viitala / Yle

Finance Minister Riikka Purra’s party is the Finns Party. The governing parties, the National Coalition Party and the Finnish People’s Party, criticized the fact that the savings were not discussed in advance in the government. The parties believe that Purra’s proposal only contains the wishes of the Finns Party.

The opposition parties also criticized the Finance Minister’s proposals. The Social Democrats believe that the government wants to cut support for culture, youth and organizations. The Greens said that Purra is taking money away from education. The Center wants the state to support small businesses more in the future than it does now.

The government will negotiate the budget in September

![Orphan and Bite.](https://images.cdn.yle.fi/image/upload/c_crop,h_2880,w_5120,x_0,y_351/ar_1.7777777777777777 ,c_fill,g_faces,h_431,w_767/dpr_1.0/q_auto:eco/f_auto/fl_lossy/v1754030053/39-1501454688c5fc5adc9a)

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Photo: Vesa Moilanen / Lehtikuva

The full government will discuss the Finnish state’s financial affairs in early September. The government may not accept Finance Minister Riikka Purra’s proposals. The Parliament will decide later what the Finnish state budget for next year will be.

Repetition

The topic of the news week was the state budget. Finance Minister Riikka Purra said that Finland must find new savings next year. Purra suggested that Finland reduce funding for universities, for example, and abolish the National Board of Education. Purra wants Finland to stop accepting quota refugees. The entire government will discuss the Finnish state budget in September.

The news week in plain Finnish again tomorrow, Sunday. See you again, see you later!