Finnish Health Minister Announces Sudden Resignation, Citing ‘Exhausting’ Workload

Finland’s Social Affairs and Health Minister Kaisa Juuso announced her immediate resignation on Thursday, citing the immense personal toll of steering the country through deeply unpopular budget cuts to social services.

The announcement caught the political establishment off guard.

Finance Minister Riikka Purra, who leads Juuso’s Finns Party or Perussuomalaiset, summoned journalists to parliament with just ten minutes’ notice.

Juuso simultaneously released a statement confirming her departure and revealing she had also taken sick leave.

“The work has been truly exhausting and we have had to make difficult decisions to secure essential services for Finns,” Juuso wrote. “I believe I have done my best, but now it is time for someone else to continue.”

Helsingin Sanomat reports that Juuso personally informed both Purra and Prime Minister Petteri Orpo earlier Thursday before the public announcement. The Finns Party parliamentary group was also briefed beforehand.

In the press meet, Purra indicated she already has a successor in mind but declined to reveal the name. When asked whether Juuso could have received better support, Purra deflected, stating the party had consistently tried to support one another.

Finland’s current right-wing coalition government, formed in 2023, inherited a challenging fiscal situation and committed to significant spending reductions.

The health and social affairs portfolio has been particularly contentious, as cuts directly affect services Finns rely on daily, from healthcare to social support.

The timing of minister Juuso’s resignation is also noteworthy. Just this week, a ministry working group submitted proposals for social welfare cuts that still fell short of the full savings targets demanded by the coalition government. Implementing these reductions has proven exceptionally difficult politically.