Municipal elections 2025 objectives

​In Finland, there are nearly 90,000 intercultural married or cohabiting couples, where one spouse is Finnish and the other is foreign-born. About half of these couples have children. Additionally, more than 17,000 intercultural families live in Finland where both spouses come from different countries.
There are over 150,000 children and young people under the age of 30 with an intercultural background in Finland, of whom approximately 110,000 are under 18.
This rapidly growing demographic must be taken into account at the municipal and regional levels, particularly in family policy decision-making. To develop a more equitable and multicultural Finnish society, we need to increase awareness of the specific characteristics of intercultural families and shape municipalities and regions based on their needs.
It is essential for municipalities to strengthen inclusive practices by acknowledging diversity, supporting residents’ well-being, and ensuring that individuals can express their identities in a safe environment.

1. Supporting the Multilingualism and Cultural Identity of Children and Youth from Intercultural Families in Early Childhood Education and Schools.
2.  Removing Barriers to Employment for Immigrants.
3.  A Non-Discriminatory and Anti-Racist Municipality for all.

1. Supporting the Multilingualism and Cultural Identity of Children and Youth from Intercultural Families in Early Childhood Education and Schools.

​Propositions:

• Access to mother tongue education must be ensured. It should be seen as an investment integrated into bilingual and second-language education, supporting broader language proficiency—one of the goals of bilingual education.
• Schools must provide sufficient resources for Finnish as a Second Language (S2) education. Learning Finnish should be an objective in early childhood education, and more resources should be allocated to S2 instruction in preschools.
• All home languages of children must be acknowledged in early childhood education.
• More bilingual/foreign-language municipal daycare places (such as English-Finnish) should be offered.
• More bilingual educational places should be available, particularly in English. Other languages, such as Arabic and Somali, should be included in bilingual education based on the largest language groups in municipalities.
• Staff in primary education and early childhood education must adopt a culturally sensitive and anti-racist approach. A system for reporting and monitoring racist behavior must be implemented in daycare centers.
• Communication with non-Finnish-speaking families must be increased in schools so that parents and guardians can better understand the education system and make informed decisions about their children’s schooling.
• Learning materials should be created and adapted to help non-Finnish-speaking parents support their children with homework, school guidance, and other educational needs. These materials should be developed in plain Finnish and English.

Explanation

A positive sense of identity is crucial for well-being. Thriving and vibrant municipalities support diversity and provide people with the tools and conditions for forming and developing their identities. It is particularly important to support the identity development of children and youth. A key part of this support includes investing in the well-being of families.
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Identity is a diverse whole that can encompass multiple languages. We want the existence of multilingual Finns to be officially recognized and for their language skills to be valued. Our goal is a future in which multilingual experts, professionals, and decision-makers in Finland feel like an asset from childhood onward. The future of municipalities must be multilingual.

2. Removing Barriers to Employment for Immigrants

Propositions:

• Special attention must be given to the employment of spouses, as their job opportunities significantly impact families’ decisions to stay in the municipality.
• Subsidized employment and work trial opportunities should be offered to immigrants.
• Anonymous recruitment should be promoted in municipal hiring processes.
• Language-aware working methods should be encouraged within municipal organizations to facilitate the employment of immigrants.
• A holistic approach to integration services should be adopted, tailoring integration programs to individuals' backgrounds and needs.
• Integration language training should aim for a level of proficiency that enables individuals to function in society and gain employment. Language instruction must be relevant and aligned with current terminology. Integration training should also include stronger collaboration with the labor market.
• Support services for integration and employment should be organized in collaboration with the third sector.
• English should be one of the service languages in municipal employment and integration services.
• Municipalities must ensure equal access to services for all residents, regardless of language or background.

Explanation

We need to create municipalities where it is easy for employers to hire foreign professionals and for them to enter the workforce quickly. When discussing labor migration, we must also ensure that those already living in Finland have good conditions for integration and employment. Discriminatory structures, racism in recruitment, and excessively rigid language requirements are key barriers preventing immigrants from entering the labor market. Municipal recruitment must recognize that diversity in the workforce also adds value to customers. Many employment and integration services become more accessible and approachable when customer service includes staff from immigrant backgrounds who understand the challenges of employment and integration.

Many international professionals in Finland face unemployment, underemployment, or the need to start a new career. For immigrants, career transitions often take years, as their previous degrees and work experience are not always recognized. We must allow immigrants to develop their language skills where they improve best—in meaningful, real-life environments, such as at work. Workplace-based language learning is often more effective than classroom courses, especially for practical job roles.

Finnish workplaces need more diversity, and municipalities can lead by example. Public sector employers should encourage the hiring of immigrants who are learning Finnish, even if their language skills are not yet perfect. Some jobs require only basic language skills, and workplace immersion can improve fluency. Municipalities should set an example by hiring immigrants in their own positions.

Equal access to employment should be promoted by replacing traditional hiring processes with anonymous recruitment, ensuring candidates are not judged based on their names or appearance.

3. A Non-Discriminatory and Anti-Racist Municipality for All

Propositions: 

• Municipalities must provide access to interpretation services in public authorities.
• Municipalities must commit to anti-racist practices and the promotion of positive community relations.
• Hostility in political discussions must be addressed, and municipal decision-making should create space for people from all backgrounds.
• The needs and aspirations of people from intercultural families must be considered when organizing municipal services.
• All services provided by municipalities or outsourced to private providers must be culturally sensitive.

Explanation

The effects of racism run deeper than many realise. Experiences of racism have broad impacts on a person’s well-being, with many young people reporting that racism has affected their identity and mental health for years. Repeated encounters with racism can lead to chronic stress, resulting in psychological and physiological symptoms.

For this reason, it is essential to focus on preventing racism and discrimination and actively promoting anti-racism at all levels of society to improve well-being. Municipalities must commit to anti-racist practices, as discrimination and negative experiences hinder integration. Municipalities should actively raise awareness and make inclusion a standard practice, ensuring that diversity is not just promoted but proactively embraced. Preventing and addressing racism and discrimination are also key factors in fostering good community relations.

more information

• Familia's goals for the 2023 elections and government's plan - full document (pdf)