Racism in Finland is increasingly seen as a significant problem, according to a new Uutissuomalainen (USU) survey: 60% of respondents somewhat or completely agreed with the statement, up from 57% two years ago and 51% five years ago. The poll, conducted by research firm Tietoykkönen between 16–24 September, also found 35% disagreeing and 5% declining to answer.
Party divide: Finns Party supporters least likely to see a problem
Support for the view that racism is a significant problem varies widely by party preference. Only about 7% of respondents who identify with the nationalist Finns Party agreed with the statement, compared with 49% among supporters of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s National Coalition Party.
Agreement exceeded 90% among self‑described supporters of the opposition Green League and Left Alliance. These figures reflect a persistent ideological divide around immigration and equality policies.
Gender gap: women report higher concern than men
The survey shows a marked gender gap. 71% of women agreed that racism is a significant problem, while fewer than half of men shared that view. This aligns with wider European polling where women often report higher perceived risks of discrimination and social exclusion.
Context: scandals and an anti‑racism training for ministers
The rise in concern coincides with recurring racism controversies since the current right‑leaning coalition took office in 2023. In recent weeks, Finns Party MP and first deputy chair Teemu Keskisarja drew criticism for calling incoming migrants “low quality” and describing the “great replacement” conspiracy theory as “a fact.”
The Equality Ombudsman (Yhdenvertaisuusvaltuutettu) Rainer Hiltunen characterised the comments as racist, while the Helsinki Police decided not to open a preliminary investigation. Earlier this year, government ministers and party leaders attended a one‑hour anti‑racism training session focused on understanding racism and its manifestations in Finland. These developments have kept racism and equality prominent in the national debate.
Methodology and trendline: steady rise over five years
The USU‑commissioned survey was carried out by Tietoykkönen using a nationally representative sample. The reported margin of error is ±3.1 percentage points. Compared with similar USU polls, public concern has risen from 51% (2020) to 57% (2023) and now 60% (2025). While the shift since 2023 falls within the error margin, the five‑year trend points to a gradual increase in the share of Finns who see racism as a significant problem.
