Finland

The Finns Party has presented its vision for the next parliamentary term: a €9 billion austerity package that suggests some institutions are more essential than others. The junior coalition partner proposes closing the National Agency for Education and the Ministry of the Environment, while introducing a tax on banks and data centers to raise a further billion. The list also includes abolishing refugee quotas and taxing plastic bags.

A global cybersecurity vulnerability has left several official portals and services offline, with warnings that repairs could take weeks. While his government’s partners digest the proposed cuts, Prime Minister Petteri Orpo is in Kyiv. Traveling by train, he spoke of a 'dangerous idea' emerging from the United States regarding the conflict, though he remains focused on a more immediate demonstration of support for Ukraine.

The domestic economy is showing a distinct split. Nokia reported a 35% rise in operating profit as the AI boom fills its order books, yet the defense sector is struggling to fill 16,000 potential jobs because security clearances take too long to process. Elsewhere, researchers warn that a new law opening the online gambling market lacks the restrictions necessary to prevent a rise in youth debt.