Finland's government published its draft state budget for 2024 on Monday.
Finance Minister Riikka Purra (Finns) presented the outline of the budget plan on Friday, revealing that Finland faces expenditure of 87 billion euros next year with revenue projected to reach 77 billion.
This means a budget deficit of about 10 billion euros in 2024.
A breakdown of the figures shows the government plans to make cuts to social welfare payments, early childhood education, and services for refugees and asylum seekers, while more funding will be allocated to third level education, energy subsidies, and grants for arts and culture.
In this article, Yle runs through the main parts of the government's proposed budget for 2024.
1. Giving and taking from education
The draft budget proposes cutting state contributions and subsidies for pre-primary and primary education — as well as from the operating costs of early childhood education and care — by about 130 million euros.
On the flip side, the government plans to increase state funding for universities by almost 150 millions euros, while research funding granted to the Academy of Finland would rise by about 60 million euros.
A further 100 million euros has been earmarked for vocational and upper secondary schools, while almost 80 million euros would go towards supplementing student grants.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment is also in line to receive about 50 million euros to support research, development and innovation.
2. Climate, nature and energy
The 2024 budget plan proposes cutting the state's 100 million euros funding of the Finnish Climate Fund — which is tasked with combating climate change, boosting low-carbon industry and promoting digitalisation.
In addition, about 70 million euros would be cut from the state's environment and nature protection budget, a 36 percent decrease on 2023's figure.
Meanwhile, the Economic Affairs and Employment ministry's energy subsidy would be increased by almost 100 million euros, and its renewable energy production subsidy would also rise — by around 170 million euros.
3. Refugees and asylum seekers
The government plans to cut about 50 million euros from the budget allocated to services for refugees and asylum seekers, representing a 14 percent cut to the 2023 budget.
However, the budget proposal also suggests allocating an additional 100 million euros towards promoting integration.
4. Social security
As finance minister Riikka Purra outlined on Friday, the right-wing government plans to make cuts to social welfare payments.
This will include cutting housing benefits by about 15 million euros, unemployment benefits by around 180 million euros and basic unemployment allowance by 160 million euros.
5. Sports and physical activity
The budget proposal suggests increasing funding for the promotion of sport and physical activity by some 45 million euros, but also wants to cut funding from other areas of the same sector, totalling 60 million euros.
6. Transport
The government also plans to cut the Transport and Communications ministry's road maintenance budget by about 30 million euros, while almost 130 million euros will be siphoned off from money allocated to developing the nation's bus networks.
7. Arts and culture
The draft budget suggests increasing grants offered to the arts and culture sector by 75 million euros. An additional 65 million euros will also be added to funding for national arts institutions.
However, gambling revenue which is used to promote and fund arts and cultural projects would be cut completely, estimated to be worth around 180 million euros.
8. More money for police
The government proposes increasing the police's budget for next year to over a billion euros, representing an increase of almost 100 million euros compared to the 2023 allocation.
9. Development cooperation
Under the proposed budget, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs faces a cut of 85 million euros to its development cooperation fund, while a new allocation of almost 60 million euros is earmarked solely for supporting Ukraine.
In total, international development cooperation would be cut by almost 90 million euros, a drop of 10 percent on 2023.
10. Healthcare regions
The government plans to allocate an additional 4 billion euros for the nation's healthcare regions and the City of Helsinki in 2024, an increase of 19 percent increase on this year.
Budget not yet final
The Ministry of Finance will hold consultations with other ministeries on the budget proposal early next month. After that, the four parties making up Finland's coalition government will debate the budget proposal at meetings scheduled for 19 and 20 September.
Once agreement is reached between the governing parties, the proposal will be presented to parliament.
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