Finnish ruling party backs constitutional protection for abortion rights

June 7, 2026

HELSINKI (Xinhua) -- Finland's ruling National Coalition Party (NCP) on Sunday backed a proposal to enshrine abortion rights in the Finnish Constitution, following a vote at its party congress in Jyvaskyla, Finnish public broadcaster Yle reported.

The initiative was submitted by the NCP Women's League. It calls on the party board to work for adding abortion rights to the constitution and urges the party's ministers and parliamentary group to promote the move.

The decision came two weeks after the opposition Social Democratic Party (SDP) adopted a similar position at its party congress in Tampere.

The SDP added to its political program a line saying that abortion rights must be secured and that the aim is to enshrine them in the constitution in the future.

Source: https://english.news.cn/20260608/f1360079842440b186aff110c07f6f36/c.html

07.06.2026

News

abortion law reform

National Coalition Party

Finland sees abortions rise for third year in a row

An increasing number of women have had multiple abortions, according to the Institute for Health and Welfare

Yle News, STT
May 11, 2026

About a third of women who ended their pregnancies last year had at least one abortion in the past.

More than 9,000 abortions were performed in Finland last year, according to a statistical report from the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).

The figure reflected a nearly four-percent increase compared to 2024.

Continued: https://yle.fi/a/74-20225372

11.05.2026

News

Finland abortion rate

Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare

Europe

Finland

Free contraception helps Finland reduce teenage abortions by 66%

By Anne Kauranen
June 3, 2024

HELSINKI (Reuters) - The number of teenage abortions in Finland fell by 66% between 2000 and 2023, its public health institute THL said on Monday, attributing the reduction to the offer of free contraception to adolescents and compulsory sex education in schools.

Finland also passed a law in 2022 liberalising abortion, at a time of deep divisions over abortion rights in Europe and court rulings in the U.S. that restricted access to terminations of unwanted pregnancies for millions of people there.

The number of abortions among women under 20 rose during the 1990s in Finland, which led the Nordic country to respond at the start of the 2000s by making morning-after pills available without prescription from 15 years of age and sexual education compulsory in all schools.

Continued: https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/free-contraception-helps-finland-reduce-teenage-abortions-by-66-2024-06-03/

03.06.2024

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compulsory sex education

Finland – Change in abortion law – starting September 1st, abortion will only require pregnant individual’s request

28 AUGUST 2023

Significant changes are set to take effect in Finland's abortion legislation, known as the abortion law, starting from September 1st. Under the new law, obtaining an abortion will no longer require the previously mandatory two medical certificates. As a result, individuals seeking abortion will have one less doctor's appointment to attend. Furthermore, up until the 12th week of pregnancy, an abortion can be performed solely upon the pregnant individual's request. This amendment is grounded in the principle of expanding patient autonomy.

It's important to note that this legal change does not apply to pregnancies that have surpassed the 12-week mark.

Continued: https://www.helsinkitimes.fi/finland/finland-news/domestic/24078-change-in-abortion-law-starting-september-1st-abortion-will-only-require-pregnant-individual-s-request.html

28.08.2023

Embattled Finland minister quits amid new ‘mass abortions for Africa’ scandal

By David Mac Dougall
30/06/2023

The extremist comments and behaviour of Vilhelm Junnila have come under scrutiny since his appointment as minister for economic affairs just last Tuesday.

Finland's minister for economic affairs resigned on Friday, a little more than a week after taking office, amid a flurry of scandals linking him to neo-Nazi ideology.

Vilhelm Junnila, of the far-right Finns Party, quit amid a new furore over comments he made in parliament where he said a solution for the climate crisis is to give more abortions to African women. He called the concept "climate abortions".

Continued: https://www.euronews.com/2023/06/30/embattled-finland-minister-quits-amid-mass-africa-abortions-scandal

30.06.2023

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anti-choice Neo-Nazis

anti-choice stupidity

Abortion now on the table of Finnish government talks

By Pekka Vanttinen | EURACTIV.com
Jun 1, 2023

The Christian Democrats are pushing for the right of healthcare workers to refuse to carry out abortions amid the now five-week-long government talks, Hufvudstadsbladet reported on Thursday.

The Christian Democrats, currently in government talks with the National Coalition Party, the Finns Party and the Swedish People’s Party, would like to see the right to be included in the programme, reported HBL. The Christian Democrats refused to deny or confirm the news.

Continued: https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/abortion-now-on-the-table-of-finnish-government-talks/

01.06.2023

News

abortion refusals

belief-based care denial

care denial

conscientious objection

Finland – Amendments to the Abortion Act approved

Finnish government,Ministry of Social Affairs and Health
20.12.2022
PRESS RELEASE

The President of the Republic has approved the amendments to the Abortion Act. In future, a pregnancy may be terminated solely based on the pregnant woman’s request until the end of the twelfth week of pregnancy. In the 1970 Act, an opinion by two doctors was required in most cases for the termination of pregnancy, and grounds had to be presented.

The legislative amendment will not change the regulation in cases where abortion is carried out after the twelfth week of pregnancy. At the request of the pregnant woman, pregnancy may also be ended after the twelfth week of pregnancy if the continuation of pregnancy or giving birth would endanger the life or health of the pregnant woman. In this case, two doctors must be of the opinion that the termination is necessary.

Continued: https://valtioneuvosto.fi/en/-//1271139/amendments-to-the-abortion-act-approved

20.12.2022

National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health

Oma tahto 2020 citizens’ initiative

Finland reforms abortion law to replace outdated legislation

By The Associated Press
Wed., Oct. 26, 2022

HELSINKI (AP) — Lawmakers have approved a legislative reform that will ease the process of getting an abortion in Finland, which currently has the Nordic region’s strictest abortion law, dating back to 1970 and seen by many citizens as outdated.

Finland’s 200-seat Eduskunta legislature on Wednesday voted by a wide margin 125-41 in favor of a law reform that will, among other things, abolish the need for approval from two doctors to terminate a pregnancy.

Continued: https://www.thestar.com/news/world/europe/2022/10/26/finland-reforms-abortion-law-to-replace-outdated-legislation.html

26.10.2022

Featured

News

abortion law reform

abortion on request up to 12 weeks

Finland abortion law

Saara-Sofia Siren

two doctor requirement

COVID-19 impacted access to abortion care all over Europe

Access to abortion care is an important and politically charged topic. It is a human rights issue affecting essential aspects of women’s healthcare. As a global disruptive event, COVID-19 affected abortion access in many European countries.

Jun 9, 2021
University of Oulu

Government policies on abortion are a longstanding topic of heated political debate. The COVID-19 pandemic shook health care systems to the core adding to the complexity of the issue, as the imposed national lockdowns and mobility restrictions affected millions of women’s timely access to abortion care across the globe. Researchers from Finland and France examined how all of the European Union countries and the United Kingdom responded to the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 crisis in terms of providing access to abortion care.

Continued: https://www.oulu.fi/en/news/covid-19-impacted-access-abortion-care-all-over-europe

09.06.2021

Featured

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abortion access during pandemic

Covid-19 and abortion

Dr. Guido Giunti

Jovana Stanisljevic

Neva Bojovic

telemedicine abortion

Finland has the lowest abortion rate among Nordic countries

08 APRIL 2021

Recent figures from the Finnish Institute of Health and Welfare (THL) have revealed that Finland has the lowest rate of induced abortions among Nordic countries.

It also has the strictest abortion laws, being the only Nordic country where women need to acquire the signature of at least one doctor (in some cases two) to terminate an unwanted pregnancy.

Continued: https://www.helsinkitimes.fi/finland/news-in-brief/19010-finland-has-the-lowest-abortion-rate-among-nordic-countries.html

08.04.2021