Government policies enriched the wealthy at the expense of the poor
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A study by the Institute for Health and Welfare suggests the prime minister's policies have cost low-income households an average of €80 a month while bolstering the disposable income of the rich. Petteri Orpo’s administration, which is already defending its record on digital reform after a scathing review of its AI roadmap, now faces a fresh row over child benefits.
The Finance Minister, Riikka Purra, has added to the austere mood by questioning the value of foreign aid. She argued that non-reciprocal projects are effectively cuts to the domestic budget and that the country has no need for a reputation for being gullible.
Economic optimism is instead being found in the private sector. Growth companies have raised a record €1.9bn in venture capital since January, and regulators have cleared Tesla’s supervised self-driving system for use on public roads, provided the driver remains legally responsible for whatever the car decides to do.