Home » Elections Municipal and county elections 2025 Decisions on key everyday matters are made in municipal and wellbeing services county councils. Stand as a candidate and influence the future of public services! Stand as a candidate in the municipal and/or county elections Would you like to be involved in deciding how shift workers’ families are guaranteed the childcare they need? Or are you interested in improving public transport to make commuting easier? Do you want to ensure that services are accessible to everyone? Or that those who need more services can afford housing, transport, and hobbies? These elections are your chance to make a difference! Stand as a candidate so that the voices of service sector workers are heard more strongly in municipal and county decision-making. PAM’s priorities In municipalities Childcare for shift workers’ childrenChildcare must be guaranteed for all children and including small schoolgoers. The care facility should be within a reasonable distance from home or the parents’ workplace. Affordable homes and pleasant living environmentsEveryone needs a home. Municipalities must ensure there are enough homes and affordable rental housing. A pleasant living environment, access to nearby sports facilities and green spaces support people’s well-being. Improving public transportGood public transport makes commuting and taking on work easier. The needs of people who work irregular hours must be considered. Ticket prices must remain affordable. Employment services for all unemployed peopleEmployments services should be accessible and meet individual needs, which can include job training, mental health services, or social services. The aim is to remove obstacles to entering the job market. Boosting the economy through tourismTourism has a big impact on employment. Municipalities must make tourism part of their business development plans and work together with companies and nearby municipalities to grow the sector. In wellbeing services counties Sufficient and accessible health and social services for everyoneEasy access to care is key. The opening hours of health and social services must be extended. Counties should have remote and digital consultations alongside physical health centres. Getting a doctor’s certificate of sick leave must be kept simple. Health services for unemployed peopleCounties must ensure that unemployed people receive the health services they are entitled to, regardless of where they live. Counties should work together with employment areas so that health issues do not prevent people from getting a job. In both municipalities and counties Responsibility in procurementMunicipalities and counties must prioritise quality when they buy goods and services. Fair working conditions and terms of employment must be ensured throughout the supply chain. Fair feesPatient fees, hobby fees, and permit fees and other fees by municipalities and counties, must be kept reasonable. The cost must not prevent people from using services when they need them. What is decided in municipalities and counties? Municipalities are responsible for schools and childcare services libraries, youth work and culture employment and integration services water and waste management public transportation, city planning and building supervision and many other matters that affect your everyday life. Wellbeing services counties are responsible for… health stations and hospitals rescue services social services services for children, young people, families and the elderly mental health and substance abuse services services for persons with disabilities. You don’t need to be a Finnish Citizen to have a influence in local matters Are you considering candidacy? Are you interested in running for election but would like more information and support? Let us know about your interest, and we will help you move forward! Register your interest here (form in Finnish) Are you running in the municipal or county elections? Or in both? Tell us about it! PAM supports its members with training, campaign tips, and election financing. Let us know of your candidacy here (form in Finnish) Sign up for the election gallery The Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK) and its member unions aim to increase voter turnout among workers and improve the visibility of candidates with a worker background. The election gallery opens for candidates on 3 February 2025 and for the public on 4 March 2025. Candidates can enter their details until 7 March. We will publish information based on the gallery about PAM members who are municipal and county election candidates in the next PAM magazine (published on 26 March). Sign up for the gallery Election support for PAM members PAM will provide election campaign support of 100 euros to its members running in the spring 2025 elections. The support must be used entirely for activities in accordance with election law. The amount is 100 euros per person, regardless of whether you are running in the municipal or county elections – or both. If your candidacy is withdrawn, the support must be repaid to PAM. Applications are processed weekly. If your application is received by 11:00 on Friday, it will be included in that week’s processing. We aim to pay the support to your account as soon as possible. The application form closes on 12 April. Apply for campaign support here (form in Finnish) Election schedule Candidate nomination ends on 4 March – parties have their own deadlines. The final candidate lists will be confirmed in March 2025. Advance voting in Finland: 2–8 April 2025 Advance voting abroad: 2–5 April 2025 Election day: Sunday 13 April 2025 More on county and municipal elections News Katso kaikki Press releases Platform economy politics Rönni-Sällinen at PAM Council: Directive offers the government a chance to improve the situation of food couriers 19.11.2024 Press releases income politics property services sector Who will clean in the future? The trade unions JHL and PAM are raising the question on the International Justice Day for Cleaners 15.6.2024 News membership PAM's governing bodies politics Statement by PAM’s council: The government’s working life reforms hit wage earners hard – but we stand strong 4.6.2024 News membership PAM's governing bodies politics ”It takes great courage to defend the weakest” 3.6.2024 News politics unemployment Unemployment security These cuts to unemployment security come into force in September 15.5.2024 Press releases politics PAM’s Annika Rönni-Sällinen: The strike laws have been adopted, the government is eroding democracy 8.5.2024 News industrial action politics SAK unions suspend political strikes as of 8 April – strikes already called to take place as planned 4.4.2024 Press releases collective agreement immigration legislation politics Rönni-Sällinen: Will the changes in local agreements contribute to work-related exploitation? 19.2.2024 Articles collective agreement legislation politics The Finnish labour market model is being altered in favour of employers 12.2.2024 Press releases collective bargaining system industrial action legislation politics PAM announced a three-day political strike in trade logistics centres – ”The government is changing the rules of the game in favour of the employers” 7.2.2024
Press releases Platform economy politics Rönni-Sällinen at PAM Council: Directive offers the government a chance to improve the situation of food couriers 19.11.2024
Press releases income politics property services sector Who will clean in the future? The trade unions JHL and PAM are raising the question on the International Justice Day for Cleaners 15.6.2024
News membership PAM's governing bodies politics Statement by PAM’s council: The government’s working life reforms hit wage earners hard – but we stand strong 4.6.2024
News membership PAM's governing bodies politics ”It takes great courage to defend the weakest” 3.6.2024
News politics unemployment Unemployment security These cuts to unemployment security come into force in September 15.5.2024
Press releases politics PAM’s Annika Rönni-Sällinen: The strike laws have been adopted, the government is eroding democracy 8.5.2024
News industrial action politics SAK unions suspend political strikes as of 8 April – strikes already called to take place as planned 4.4.2024
Press releases collective agreement immigration legislation politics Rönni-Sällinen: Will the changes in local agreements contribute to work-related exploitation? 19.2.2024
Articles collective agreement legislation politics The Finnish labour market model is being altered in favour of employers 12.2.2024
Press releases collective bargaining system industrial action legislation politics PAM announced a three-day political strike in trade logistics centres – ”The government is changing the rules of the game in favour of the employers” 7.2.2024