Finland's low birth rate is a concern, admits new Minister of Family Affairs

[Tennis]

Annika Saarikko (Centre), the newly appointed Minister of Family Affairs and Social Services, has admitted to being alarmed by the historically low birth rate in Finland.

Statistics Finland has warned that this year the number of births could fall short of the 50,000 mark for the first time since the famine years of 1866–1868, when the country had a total population of no more than roughly two million.

“I’m keen on looking into what’s the cause of it all,” Saarikko stated in a press conference after her appointment as the Minister of Family Affairs and Social Services in Helsinki on Monday.

She reminded, however, that also the hopes, dreams and conceptions related to families and the number of children have evolved over time in Finland.

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“One of the underlying factors that may be of importance is the general feeling of insecurity. The cost of living in urban centres, uncertainties in the labour markets, people’s understanding of when they’re in a place in life with respect to their career that it’s possible to start a family,” listed Saarikko.

“My foremost concern when it comes to the statistics is that the divide between the desired number children and the actual number of children is at its the widest among low-income families.”

Saarikko also said she hopes to be able to concentrate not only on the reform of social and health care services but also on other dimensions of family policy in her capacity as the Minister of Family Affairs and Social Services. She revealed, for example, that she is an advocate of bringing all family services under the same roof into what have been tentatively dubbed family centres.

“To me this is about shifting the focus of the political debate and decision-making genuinely toward future Finns, making sure Finland is a genuinely child-friendly country,” she said.

“This focal point is a priority – to establish family centres, with the maternity and child health clinics at their core, under the same roof all over Finland. That’s my first and foremost priority,” added Saarikko.

She also said she intends to maintain discussion about the proposed overhaul of the family leave system, despite the fact that it is not on the government’s agenda due to the resistance of first the Finns Party and later the New Alternative Parliamentary Group.

“My own party believes it would be extremely positive if the reform process was launched before the end of the current electoral term. The ruling parties failed to reach an understanding on the issue, but it won’t stop me from maintaining the discussion. I’m personally supportive of the family leave reform,” she told.

http://www.helsinkitimes.fi/finland/...y-affairs.html

Totally agree with Minister Saarikko. The social system will crumble if Finland does not remedy this situation. There are 2 solutions to this problem. Encouraging Finns to have more babies or to increase immigration levels.

Given that you should let your citizens make their own decisions over whether to be parents or not, the winner here is clear.

[Stelio Kontos]

Given that you should let your citizens make their own decisions over whether to be parents or not, the winner here is clear.

Indeed it is. Offer incentives for native Finns to have children rather than flood the country with non-Finns.

[Saft]

Totally agree with Minister Saarikko. The social system will crumble if Finland does not remedy this situation. There are 2 solutions to this problem. Encouraging Finns to have more babies or to increase immigration levels.

Given that you should let your citizens make their own decisions over whether to be parents or not, the winner here is clear.

Economic safety plays a part in whether couples get children or not, lots of people wait or completely abstain from having children because they can't ensure a stable household or that a career is more important at the moment, the problem that's arisen however is that women have become more career driven in their 20s which leads to plenty of old mothers and many women that missed the train completely and die alone.

If your demographic goes to shitters because of low birth rates then the state has to figure out why such is the case and encourage its population to have more babies in whatever way they find adequate. The bolded part is you propagating for population replacement as per typical.

[Independent voter]

We have 12 million Mexican citizens living illegally in the US, we will give Finland 3 million of them.

[Deleted]

@Puupi Wanna take this one I'm tired

[Tennis]

We have 12 million Mexican citizens living illegally in the US, we will give Finland 3 million of them.

No. Undocumented immigrants is a U.S. problem. Own up to your responsibility.

[Deleted]

I think immigraton is the best solution, as it adds people to the society very fast.

[Freighter]

I think immigraton is the best solution, as it adds people to the society very fast.

Instead of fixing an injury by surgery you'd rather put a band-aid on it and hope the problem goes away?

[Grym]

I think immigraton is the best solution, as it adds people to the society very fast.

Just make sure you check their background thoroughly first, otherwise brining in a few ISIS members you will have more troubles than it's worth.

[mrgreenthump]

Not really a surprise, because nobody really wants to be a parent, when there is no economic safety.

[Independent voter]

No. Undocumented immigrants is a U.S. problem. Own up to your responsibility.

They're not a problem, they have jobs. I'm offended on their behalf.

[Kraenen]

Not really a surprise, because nobody really wants to be a parent, when there is no economic safety.

Scandinavia doesn't have economic safety?

[Halyon]

Increase immigration and integration (don't bend to their every whim, because some people will abuse it), don't force people to procreate...especially not with financial incentive from the state...they tried this in denmark. The ads were hilarious. And I would not at all be surprised if the majority of the roughly 1200 babies 'produced' by this campaign are of foreign descent. Most, not all.

This is not really a problem, they can contribute to any country as much as a native can, of course, buuut some cultures are just...not that much into children.

That said, enough of my 'child-hating', have the ads and enjoy the hilarity;




On one hand I really do find them fny and entertaining, except for the emotional guilt-tripping that starts to sneak in there at one point (and I really dislike that BS), but on a secondary note, I find it somewhat blackmail-y, since some families just don't care for kids at all, they won't do this. The ones who participate are people who want kids, and most likely will get the kids they want either way, it's just a question of when. I don't know the stats for how this is projected to turn out, but how much has this actually 'repaired', and will it actually have any meaningful result?

Just my 2 cents on the topic.

[GreenJesus]

Finland ladies DTF DM me to save Finland!

I love how Tennisace says mexican illegals are "our problem" when Tennisace's whole thing is saying how great illegals are for the economy.. If they are so great why not take them?

[Darkeon]

I think immigraton is the best solution, as it adds people to the society very fast.

I was going to give this reply as a jest; Someone beat me to it.

[Rennadrel]

Increase immigration and integration (don't bend to their every whim, because some people will abuse it), don't force people to procreate...especially not with financial incentive from the state...they tried this in denmark. The ads were hilarious. And I would not at all be surprised if the majority of the roughly 1200 babies 'produced' by this campaign are of foreign descent. Most, not all.

This is not really a problem, they can contribute to any country as much as a native can, of course, buuut some cultures are just...not that much into children.

That said, enough of my 'child-hating', have the ads and enjoy the hilarity;

On one hand I really do find them fny and entertaining, except for the emotional guilt-tripping that starts to sneak in there at one point (and I really dislike that BS), but on a secondary note, I find it somewhat blackmail-y, since some families just don't care for kids at all, they won't do this. The ones who participate are people who want kids, and most likely will get the kids they want either way, it's just a question of when. I don't know the stats for how this is projected to turn out, but how much has this actually 'repaired', and will it actually have any meaningful result?

Just my 2 cents on the topic.

That's hilarious, love it! To be honest, at least it's something to give people the incentive to have kid. Screw population replacement and anyone who supports it

- - - Updated - - -

Finland ladies DTF DM me to save Finland!

I love how Tennisace says mexican illegals are "our problem" when Tennisace's whole thing is saying how great illegals are for the economy.. If they are so great why not take them?

Illegals are already becoming a problem in Canada, because the liberals think that anyone should be allowed into the country, documented or not.

[Twen]

Not really a surprise, because nobody really wants to be a parent, when there is no economic safety.

This. The government has been pushing for changes that will make our economic safety and healthcare objectively worse, and then we should be making more babies. The logic is simply astounding.

[Cizr]

Yeah EUROPEAN immigrants could help them

[Halyon]

Ohey, they made a third one.

You're welcome?

Also fuck that song, holy shit, years of not hearing it has not lessened how annoying it was. /old_person_rant.exe

[Shakadam]

It's a temporary downwards spike because of the labour market for young people being crap for several years now, compounded by extremely shitty political decisions in the last few years to reduce child benefits, reduce student allowances, increase in daycare costs and similar smaller decisions that have all contributed to the fact that young people are generally poorer now than they have been in a long time.
Raising kids is expensive. Less money = less kids.

Hopefully the fucking cancerous cunts in our current parliament is gone in the next election 2 years from now. Until then nothing's gonna change.