Last time German chancellor Angela Merkel visited Finland was in 2006 during the Finnish EU presidency. It is not that the relations between the two countries are bad, on the contrary, they are better than with many EU partners. During her nine year reign Merkel has met every Finnish Prime Minister in Berlin. The German and Finnish leaders sit next to each other in Brussels during summits and the leaderships are in touch via phone when necessary.
It is possible that the timing of Merkel´s visit to Helsinki, three weeks before the general elections, was a campaign trick from the National Coalition, Prime Minister Stubb´s party. If it is, it could easily backfire. Stubb has similar opponents to Merkel, and with the latest poll showing nearly half a million undecided voters, those leaning left could feel provoked by the arrival of Europe’s queen of austerity.
Some feel that Finland is a fall guy, a country ready to back up Germany without question.
That would be an over-simplification. The two countries have a long history of co-operation in politics, regardless of the leaders´ political background. Those born during the 1930s and 40s often learned and spoke German as their first foreign language.
Germany is from one year to the next the biggest or next to biggest export partner for Finland. In the early years of the 20 century what was to become the backbone of the Finnish army—the Jäeger regiment—was trained in northern Germany. We have fought a war together and against each other—like most European countries—and we have common modern values.
When it comes to the handling of the euro crises, Finland has stood by Germany or one could argue vice versa. In political and fiscal terms it means you take care of your business, keep your promises, pay your taxes and pay your debts. In moral terms it means we should help those who have less and can´t help themselves or who for some reason run into unexpected trouble.
Europe´s history is full of blood and violence for such a small continent. The past 70 years of peace has to be cherished in every possible way. One can argue that Germany has a moral obligation to make sure that this peace time continues. If it means Germany needs to lead, with that simple goal in mind, then from the Finnish perspective that is more than OK.
Angela Merkel personifies many of the qualities a strong leader is required to have, but most importantly she knows through her own experience what it was like and how it is now, and that is maybe why she has shown a strong will to keep Europe united and strong.
A lot of Germany´s power comes as a given. The country’s 80 million population makes it the strongest economy, and the German government’s strict fiscal policies ensure strong public finances. France can´t match up economically and the UK sees the continent mostly as a business partner instead of a security guarantor. That makes Finland’s ties to its traditional ally even more important.
Merkel´s meetings with Prime Minister Stubb and President Sauli Niinistö touched on most of the important issues in Europe today, how we get out of recession together and return to the path of growth and competitiveness and how do we secure our borders without pushing our important neighbours further away and risk conflict.
When it comes to Russia, Finland plays an important role in the European discussion on how to manage difficult relations with the EU’s eastern neighbour. Russia is a very important economic partner to so many, but at the same time Finland is determined to secure the Union´s founding principles of right to self rule and borders.
At one point in Helsinki, Merkel claimed she doesn´t think much of Germany´s strength as such—Germany is not strong if Europe is not strong and it can only be achieved by being united.
President Niinistö asked whether the EU´s solidarity clause would be invoked if nation X threatened an EU member state which is not in NATO. He did not get a straight answer, and that is partly why EU countries are rewriting the common defence and security strategy to answer new conventional, cyber and terror threats.
However Finland decides to handle security in the future, you can guarantee it will be in concert with its traditional ally. As on so many issues, in security policy Merkel and her Finnish counterparts sing from the same hymn sheet.
Susanna Turunen
The writer is Yle Uutiset’s special EU correspondent