Finland's Minister of Social Affairs and Health, Kaisa Juuso of the Finns Party, has announced she will take sick leave from her parliamentary and ministerial duties.
In a post on social media platform X, Juuso wrote that she was taking the leave on the advice of her doctor, adding that she would return to work in April.
"Despite the unfortunate situation, everyday life at the ministry is running normally thanks to my state secretary and special assistants," Juuso wrote.
Juuso has served as Finland's Minister of Social Affairs and Health since the current government came into office in the summer of 2023. Her time in the role has seen the government's handling of social and health care issues come in for sharp public and political criticism.
She survived a no-confidence vote in April last year, after the opposition Left Alliance party questioned if she was up to the task of managing the country's healthcare policies.
Juuso also hit the headlines earlier this year when she called for increased immigration, telling parliament that the country's health services would collapse without a significant rise in immigration to Finland.
According to Yle's sources, Friday's announcement came as a surprise to many within the coalition government.
Orpo: Government work continues as normal
Juuso's absence comes at a critical time, as the government is set to announce where some 200 million euros of savings will be found within the social and healthcare sector.
"With regard to the savings and other matters, the government will continue to work as normal. The state secretary will take on a slightly bigger role, and of course there is also the ministry's other minister, Sanni Grahn-Laasonen," Orpo told Yle.
Grahn-Laasonen (NCP) serves as Minister of Social Security at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.
Tytti Tuppurainen, chair of the largest opposition party the SDP's parliamentary group, told Yle that Juuso's sick leave raises questions about who decides how the savings will be made.
"Now it is Prime Minister Orpo's responsibility to tell Parliament where these new savings will be allocated. Orpo is responsible for the work of his government and its ability to function," Tuppurainen said.