National Democracy Programme 2025

Goals and results

The Government Programme of Prime Minister Sanna Marin, ‘Inclusive and Competent Finland’, serves as the starting point and framework for the nationwide programme. The programme will focus, among other things, on developing the election system, the political party system and the system for launching citizens' initiatives and on improving the transparency of public administration. Measures promoting democracy and human rights education and measures supporting the participation of children and young people will also be continued. Another goal is to improve the social inclusion of those who feel they are outsiders and to promote the operating conditions and vitality of civil society. The Democracy Programme will be prepared and implemented in an open and interactive manner, in consultation with the civil society.

Starting points

In recent times, there has been a lot of international discussion about the crisis of liberal democracy. Growing inequalities in participation and alienation of decision-makers from citizens’ everyday lives are considered particular challenges. New international challenges that democracy has faced in recent years include cyber threats, effects of disinformation, the undemocratic interference directed towards elections, and the narrowing space of civil society, among other things. The transformation of international politics, the growing inequality, and the plurality of participation methods challenge the practices of traditional democracy. Therefore, Finnish democracy must be developed so that it can respond to the rapidly changing global challenges.

Finland has repeatedly done well in comparisons examining the state of democracy, human rights, freedom of the press, corruption, and the functioning of public administration, published by international organisations. In Finland, democracy has a solid foundation, long traditions and high appreciation among citizens.

The growing inequalities in civic participation and the decline in the voter turnout can be considered the weaknesses of democracy in Finland. An increasing number of people take a passive approach to societal issues, of which one indication is the low voter turnout in comparison with the other Nordic countries. Too many people feel they have no power to influence matters and decisions concerning them or the way in which society develops. The degree of participation and inclusion in society differs considerably from one socio-economic group and region to another. If interest in civic activities wanes and new forms of participation are used only by a small group of societally active people, the credibility of democracy and public confidence in the fairness of decision-making and in the political system may suffer. This may increase social frustration and serve as a breeding ground for extremist movements. It is important that everyone can participate in the joint decision-making.

We must, together, create such a framework for participation that everyone can find a suitable way to exert influence.

Additional information

• National Democracy Programme at the website of the Ministry of Justice