FINLAND: Government agrees further cuts to health and social CSOs, criticising their advocacy work
At the budget planning held at the end of April, the Finnish government decided to cut state funding for social and health care organisations for next year, adding to the historically large cuts that have already been implemented. The amount of subsidies to be distributed next year will be 31 per cent lower than this year. The Minister of Social Affairs and Health has been particularly critical of CSO’s advocacy work carried out by CSOs and justified the cuts on this basis.
Even before the recently concluded budget negotiations, the government had decided to cut subsidies by approximately €140 million. The new decision will reduce subsidies by a further €50 million, bringing the total amount of cuts to €190 million over the course of a single legislative term. Civil society organisations warn that the funding cuts to important services provided by CSOs are disproportionately targeting people who are already in the most vulnerable situation and targeted by the parallel austerity measures and cuts in the state’s social services: children and young people, elderly, those facing crises, people living alone, people with disabilities, and migrants.