Newsweek in plain Finnish | Sunday 5.7.2026

Government’s social welfare subsidy dispute. Party support. Opening hours of shops. Hailuoto bridge.

Listen

You can read the news simultaneously below.

Social Security and Social Security Support Dispute

Open image viewer

Minister Rydman of the Finns Party decided alone on the subsidy cuts. Prime Minister Orpo says that the rest of the government will intervene in the situation if Rydman does not change the decision. Photo: Susanna Pesonen / Yle, Selma Rita / Yle

This week, politics has seen a government dispute over grants to organizations.

Minister of Social Affairs and Health Wille Rydman wants to tighten the rules for social welfare benefits.

The other governing parties, the National Coalition Party and the RKP, say that Rydman’s rules are discriminatory because they cut funding from immigrant and sexual minority organizations.

Prime Minister Petteri Orpo is trying to resolve a difficult dispute.

Orpo demands that the government decide on new rules if Rydman does not change the decision that Rydman made.

Orpo says the government will make a decision in mid-August.

Party support

Open image viewer

The popularity of the Finns Party rose past the Centre Party. Photo: Eetu-Mikko Pietarinen / Yle

Let’s continue with another political topic.

Yle published a party support survey again this week. Every month or so, Yle asks Finns which party they support.

The most popular party is still the Social Democratic Party, supported by around 23 percent of Finns. The second most popular party is still the National Coalition Party, with support of just over 17 percent.

The Finns Party has risen to third place, meaning it has passed the center.

The support of the Finns Party is almost 15 percent.

The fourth most popular party is the Centre Party. After the Centre Party, the most popular parties are the Left Alliance and the Greens.

Opening hours of the shops

Open image viewer

Some Alkos are now also open on Sundays. Photo: Harri Fagerholm / Yle

Now the news from Alko.

The opening hours of alcohol stores, or Alko, were expanded this week.

Today, Sunday, Alkot is allowed to be open on Sunday for the first time.

Alko stores in many large shopping centers are now open on Sundays from 12:00 to 18:00. Approximately 35 Alko stores are open. Not all Alko stores are open on Sundays.

The opening hours of the Alkos were also extended on other days. Alkos are now also allowed to be open until 9 pm on Saturdays.

The reason for the changes is a legal reform that was approved by Parliament in June.

Hailuoto Bridge

Open image viewer

The Hailuoto road connection is over 8 kilometers long. Photo: Antti Tauriainen / Yle

Finally, a word about the new road connection.

A road connection to Hailuoto Island was opened this week. Hailuoto is a large island on the west coast off Oulu.

Hailuoto is now accessible by road and bridges, which are over 8 kilometers long.

The road connection took about 2 and a half years to build. The construction of the road went well and the road was completed ahead of schedule.

Hailuoto is the largest island in the Bay of Bothnia. It is inhabited and a popular tourist destination.

The road to Hailuoto starts from Oulunsalo, near Oulu.

A ferry has been running to Hailuoto for almost 60 years. Now the ferry service has ended when the road to Hailuoto was completed.

This was a news week in plain Finnish. See you again, let’s hear from you!