Campaign posters for the 2018 presidential election in Finland. Photo credit: Wikimedia/Arto Alanenpää (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Finland has postponed its municipal elections – originally set for April 18 – to June 13, 2021. Voters will elect councils in all of Finland’s municipalities.

Political Context

Finland has a robust democracy. As a parliamentary system, the prime minister has most executive power while the president plays a largely ceremonial role, although the current president, Sauli Niinisto, has carved out a prominent diplomatic role for himself.

Following the 2019 parliamentary elections, a left-leaning coalition came into government.

Curated News and Analysis

YLE (May 11, 2021): Yle’s election compass out now: More than 30,000 people are running for election to local councils in June

YLE (May 7, 2021): YLE: National Coalition grabs pole position ahead of Finns Party and Social Democrats

Pekka Vanttinen, Euractiv (April 29, 2021): Finnish government escapes near collapse, abandons strict fiscal prudence

Reuters (April 27, 2021): Finnish ruling coalition survives for now as economic recovery talks continue

Sanna Kopra and Matti Puranen, The Diplomat (March 18, 2021): China’s Arctic ambitions face increasing headwinds in Finland

Svilena Iotkovska, TheMayor.eu (March 8, 2021): Finnish municipal elections will be postponed until 13 June

Kati Pohjanpalo, Bloomberg (March 4, 2021): Finland to Vaccinate Poll Workers Ahead of Local Elections

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Updated May 12, 2021