Finland's parliament has amended a law which dates to 1970 requiring approval of two doctors before having an abortion. The new approved legislative reform now allows women to receive pregnancy termination only through a request and without providing further explanation. Considering the country has the strictest abortion law in the Nordic region, the move is expected to relax the strict laws that have been considered outdated. The amendment is also considered a victory, as it comes after a 2020 citizen-led initiative to change this law in order to provide women with the fundamental right to make decisions about their bodies.
Gender Equality Basic Welfare
A video of Prime Minister Sanna Marin dancing with friends at a party was leaked and went viral, causing a split between those calling for resignation and those supporting Prime Minister's right to private life. This issue has yielded polarization between those who consider that the attacks on Sanna Marin reflect the existing sexism and discrimination, as well as the different standards young women are held to, and those that criticized the video as showing inappropriate behaviour for a prime minister.
Sanna Marin Gender Equality
Prime Minister Sanna Marin (since 2019)
Social Democratic Party of Finland (SDP)
President Sauli Niinistö