National Advocacy

National advocacy is part of the core mission of the Regional Council of Southwest Finland. We work systematically to ensure that the region’s strengths, objectives, and solutions are visible and heard in national discourse and political decision-making.

The national advocacy work of the Regional Council of Southwest Finland strengthens the region’s voice in national decision-making. The objective is to ensure that the area’s needs, investments, and development goals are taken into account in the Finnish Government, ministries, Parliament, and key administrative processes. Advocacy is based on long-term cooperation with political decision-makers, officials, business community, and other regional stakeholders.

The core of national advocacy work is up-to-date and effective representation of interests, which is based on the Council’s strategic objectives. Advocacy work continuously monitors the implementation of the Government Programme, budget preparation, ministerial programmes, and legislative processes. Based on these, regional perspectives and proposals are prepared and communicated to national decision-makers in a timely manner.

The Regional Council of Southwest Finland works in close cooperation with Members of Parliament from the constituency. The cooperation group and regular meetings provide a structure through which the region’s key objectives and current issues can be communicated directly to legislators. The Council also actively engages with other decision-makers and ministries that prepare decisions on issues central to the region.

The delivery of the region’s messages is supported by cooperation with various advocacy actors in the area, such as municipalities, business organizations, and higher education and research institutions. Cooperation with the Turku and Southwest Finland European Office ensures compatibility between national and EU-level advocacy.

The Pro Southwest Finland network, established to support national advocacy, brings together actors favorable to Southwest Finland who operate in the capital region from political decision-making, administration, business, research, and culture. The network’s objective is to strengthen the region’s visibility and increase understanding of the area’s needs in national decision-making.

National Cooperation Networks

Cooperation of Growth Finland Regions

Uusimaa, Southwest Finland, Pirkanmaa, and Ostrobothnia cooperate to improve the conditions for growth. The objective is the increasingly better success of growth regions, which supports the well-being of all of Finland. The five joint Government Programme objectives for the electoral term 2023–2027 are education and immigration ensuring skilled labor, competitive R funding, green and smart transition, fast connections, and urban and EU policy supporting growth.

Uusimaa, Southwest Finland, Pirkanmaa, and Ostrobothnia account for over half of Finland:

60% of the country’s GDP (2020)
72% of the country’s RDI expenditure (2021)
53% of the country’s population (2021)
76% of the country’s foreign-language population (2021)
54% of the country’s goods exports (2021)
73% of the country’s goods imports (2021)
57% of the country’s private sector jobs (2021)

Learn more: Growth Finland Government Programme Objectives 2023–2027

Cooperation of Southern Finland Regions

Joint advocacy is strengthened by a negotiation council composed of Members of Parliament and regional politicians from the regions, whose task is to advance Southern Finland’s interests during the current electoral term. In the current Parliament, Southern Finland has 93 Members of Parliament.

Southern Finland’s joint Government Programme objectives emphasize the reform of regional development funding as well as improving labor availability and functional transport connections. Over 50% of Finland’s GDP and workforce, as well as nearly half of Finland’s population, are concentrated in Southern Finland. Southern Finland’s vitality is a prerequisite for the security of supply and security of all of Finland.

Learn more: Southern Finland Government Programme Objectives 2023–2027

Members of Parliament Cooperation Group

The 17 Members of Parliament from Southwest Finland form the constituency’s Members of Parliament cooperation group, which operates in close interaction with the Regional Council of Southwest Finland and other actors in the area. The group’s objective is to strengthen the region’s joint advocacy goals and ensure that Southwest Finland’s voice is heard in national decision-making.

The Members of Parliament group is chaired by Saara-Sofia Sirén (National Coalition Party) and vice-chaired by Vilhelm Junnila (Finns Party) and Saku Nikkanen (Social Democratic Party). The group meets regularly, at least a few times a month, either in Parliament or in the region. The meetings address issues central to Southwest Finland, such as transport connections, green transition, education, vitality, and regional development.

The Regional Council of Southwest Finland coordinates the cooperation group’s meetings and serves as a communication link between the region and Parliament. The cooperation group is an important channel for bringing the area’s current issues and needs to the center of decision-making and strengthening the common vision for building Southwest Finland’s future.