MP Hopsu warns: Centralising communications a serious setback for democracy

Green MP Inka Hopsu warns against the government’s plan to centralise all ministerial communications under the Prime Minister’s Office. According to Hopsu, the reform threatens the independence of civil servants, weakens government transparency, and limits citizens’ right to information.

The Association of Communications Professionals (Viesti ry) has also voiced repeated criticism of the centralisation plan. According to the association, the widely criticised reform was decided before its risks, savings, or impacts were properly assessed.

Earlier this autumn, Hopsu submitted a written question to the government about the plan. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s response stated that the reform would not restrict access to information, but that communication would be more tightly aligned with the government’s policy priorities.

Last week, Helsingin Sanomat reported on a government document suggesting that the motivation behind the project may be political. 'Citizens’ perception of the unfairness of the government’s economic policy decisions currently challenges the government’s ability to get its messages through to the public,' the document states.

According to Hopsu, such statements deepen concerns and reinforce the impression that the reform aims to politicise official communications.

“Now it really looks like a Prime Minister’s communications department is being built, turning ministerial communications into an extension of the ruling parties’ communications teams. Such a development would restrict citizens’ and civil society’s ability to access reliable and diverse information,” Hopsu stresses.

Poor experiences from Sweden

Preparations for the government communications reform, launched in June, are already in their final stages. Viesti ry has noted that Sweden’s similar reform has been viewed negatively, as centralisation was seen to reduce transparency and hinder media access to information. Researcher Karl Magnus Johansson studied Swedish governments from 2006 to 2022, finding that the centralisation of communications under the Prime Minister’s Office created a powerful gatekeeper role – raising serious concerns for freedom of speech and democracy.

In Finland’s plan, communications staff would remain in the ministries but be employed by the Prime Minister’s Office. The reform is intended to take effect in early 2027 as part of government cost-saving measures.

“The plan is concerning for many reasons. It’s not just an administrative change, it’s about how Finnish democracy functions and how citizens receive reliable information,” said Viesti ry’s Executive Director Siina Repo already in the summer.

“Nor is there any estimate of actual savings, and in any case cost-cutting should not be the primary driver of a reform of this magnitude,” Repo added.

Hopsu concludes that in a democratic society, government communications must remain transparent and help citizens understand how public administration works.

“I call for the reform to be scrapped – or at least put on hold – until its impacts on citizens’ access to information are properly assessed. Any communications reform must ensure a clear separation between political and official communications. Government communications must remain independent and neutral,” Hopsu concludes.