Spring meeting statement: Multilingualism is a societal strength

​Multilingualism is a richness that society must value more and that must be more visible. A society that values multilingualism is simultaneously building a more equal, safer, and more humane future. According to Statistics Finland, 11% of Finland's population had a foreign mother tongue at the end of 2025. The number of foreign-language speakers grew by over 35,000 during 2025. In addition, more than 90,000 intercultural families live in Finland, and multilingualism is part of their everyday life.

An increasing number of languages are spoken in Finland, but the structures and attitudes of society have not kept up with this change. Although the current government's programme states that the measures of the language policy programme should be advanced, no progress has been made — among other things — regarding the possibility of registering more than one mother tongue in the population information system. It is therefore important that this be made possible during the next government term.
Allowing the registration of multiple mother tongues in the population information system is one step towards better recognition of multilingualism. The possibility of registering multiple languages in the population information system would be important for different language groups. According to a 2020 report by the Ministry of Justice, recording multiple languages in the population information system would provide a more comprehensive picture of a person's linguistic identity, the languages they speak, their belonging to a language community, and Finland's overall language resources.
A person's multilingualism does not weaken learning or integration — quite the opposite, it strengthens them. This is something that is often forgotten when the debate frames learning Finnish and learning other languages as opposing goals. Finland should stop setting the learning of Finnish against the mastery of mother tongues, as these are not opposites but mutually supportive. Research shows that learning multiple languages is not harmful to a child's development. It is particularly important to safeguard children's and young people's right to their own languages.
In the next government term, mother tongue/home language studies and their quality must also be ensured for children throughout Finland. A hybrid learning pilot could help with this, enabling mother tongue education also for smaller language groups and smaller localities. Proficiency in one's own mother tongue supports the learning of other languages, academic success, and a sense of inclusion. When a child is able to use and develop all of their languages, their identity is strengthened and their sense of belonging to society grows. A person's experience of having their background and language accepted increases their sense of security and prevents social exclusion. That is why we need high-quality mother tongue teaching throughout Finland.
Supporting multilingualism is one of the central themes in Familia's recently published parliamentary election objectives. In the 2027 parliamentary elections, it is essential to take into account the factors affecting the wellbeing, sense of security, and sense of belonging of intercultural couples, families, and children. At the national level, it is important to dismantle discriminatory and racist practices and structures, and replace them with structures that enable belonging, safety, and a good life for intercultural families as well. Familia's objectives are divided into three areas:

1. An Anti-Racist Finland
2. A Multilingual and Integrating Finland
3. A Finland That Needs Immigration