Lindtman criticizes Finnish government’s economic policies and impacts on national welfare

Antti Lindtman, the leader of the Social Democratic Party, has sharply criticized the government’s economic policies and their impacts on the national economy and social welfare. Lindtman argues that the government has adopted a “tough cut strategy” devoid of genuine employment and growth initiatives, resulting in increased debt and economic downturn. He expresses particular concern over the construction sector, warning that its deterioration threatens to pull down the entire Finnish economy.

Lindtman accuses the government of neglecting labor market stability and exacerbating issues with new cutbacks. He stated, “This government has not been willing to implement the corrections urgently needed by Finland’s economy.” He also criticized the government’s value choices, which he claims favor the wealthy and private healthcare, while public healthcare suffers from budget cuts. He highlighted the absurdity of allocating half a billion euros to private health services while slashing funding for public health.

The opposition leader pointed to the rising number of bankruptcies, which threatens to exceed levels seen during the financial crisis. He criticized the initial two years of budget proposals, which are based on nearly a record €25 billion in new debt, labeling the government’s budget proposal as grim.

Employment development has been the second weakest in Europe, Lindtman remarked, asserting that Finland now needs a real turnaround, genuine growth initiatives, and fairer value choices. He warned that without these decisions, Finland will not recover.

Similarly, Antti Kaikkonen, the chair of the Centre Party, expressed dissatisfaction with the government’s budget proposal, stating it won’t stop the debt from increasing or stimulate economic growth. He criticized the lack of measures to bolster employment and entrepreneurship or to secure Finnish healthcare services, emphasizing that proposed growth initiatives remain insufficient. Kaikkonen noted that certain government decisions could hinder growth, such as cuts to household deductions and VAT increases affecting both entrepreneurs and ordinary citizens.