Why Finnish Youth Are Abandoning the Green Party

As my esteemed readers know, Europe is undergoing a major shift as the once-fashionable value-liberal trend is coming to an end. The clearest sign of this development occurred across the Atlantic, where power shifted from the Democrats to Donald Trump’s Republicans.

In Finland, this change has been reflected in the declining support for the Green movement in recent years. Since its inception, the party has been particularly popular among the youth, which has made it difficult for its support to fully materialize in elections. Nevertheless, just six years ago, it managed to secure 11.5% of the vote in the parliamentary elections—about two percentage points less than what opinion polls had predicted.

Less than a month ago, polls indicated that the party's support was hovering just below 10%, marking a roughly 25% drop compared to six years ago. Even more intriguing, however, was the so-called "youth election," in which those not yet eligible to vote could choose their preferred party.

Contrary to everyone’s expectations, the Green party did not perform well; instead, its support remained at a modest 10.5%. In other words, the party is no longer more popular among young people than among the general population.

The phenomenon likely stems from Finnish youths’ concerns about their future. They see and experience firsthand that the Finnish education system no longer functions as it once did. Furthermore, the rapid accumulation of state and municipal debt—exacerbated by the previous red-green government—as well as the public sector’s increasing entanglement in identity politics, do nothing to advance Finland’s economy or secure a better future for young people.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Why Does the Political Green-Left Lie, and Why Does It Resonate with the People?
A Major Victory for the Freedom Party in Austria's Regional Elections
The Green Movement is Withering – And That’s Not a Bad Thing

Economic Decline Awaits Americans as Trump Imposes Tariffs

Economists are quite unanimous in their view that tariffs hinder economic growth and overall welfare. They also agree that free trade and the removal of trade barriers boost economic growth.

These views stem from the fact that free trade lowers the prices of goods and services for both producers and consumers. Moreover, tariffs partly translate into higher prices, which negatively affect importers, exporters, and consumers alike.

This holds true even when tariffs are intended to protect a specific industry, as they inevitably increase production input costs and trigger retaliatory tariffs. Import tariffs can also harm domestic exporters by disrupting supply chains and raising their input costs.

In the long run, an even more harmful effect of tariffs is that they reduce competition between companies. As a result, businesses operating in tariff-protected markets become inefficient and less innovative, ultimately leading to difficulties—especially if the tariff barriers are later removed.

All of this seems to be entirely unknown to U.S. President Donald Trump, who is set to announce import tariffs on "all" trade partners today. This is despite the fact that the tariffs he imposed during his first term had a negative impact on American employment, as noted by Jyrki Ali-Yrkkö, Director of the Research Institute of the Finnish Economy.

Unfortunately, potential U.S. tariffs would have equally negative effects on America's trade partners. As a result, it won’t be just Americans who "enjoy" economic decline, but almost all nations across the world.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
The Real Problem with American Cars: Poor Market Fit
Finland and the USA: Strong Allies with Shared Interests or a Trade Dispute?
Trump’s Tariff Weapon Worked, but Will Finland’s Development Aid Strategy Succeed?

Xi Jinping and Donald Trump Agree on Cooperation to Bring Peace to Ukraine

According to newly released information, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced last night (Finnish time) that he will assist Donald Trump in bringing peace to Ukraine. The agreement was reached yesterday in Mar-a-Lago, Florida.

In practice, the agreement means providing military aid to the forces fighting in Ukraine to suppress the resistance of the persistently defiant enemy. The primary objective of the Chinese troops is to liberate Kursk and then proceed to the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

To achieve this, Xi stated that he will send a well-equipped one-million-man contingent from the People's Liberation Army to Ukraine. The troops will be transported from Asia to Europe via continuous, non-stop rail convoys along the Trans-Siberian Railway, which will significantly disrupt Russia's domestic transportation for an extended period.

President Xi mentioned in Mar-a-Lago that he expects the first Chinese troops to reach the front within a week, at which point they will immediately commence the Kursk operation. From there, the Chinese army will advance into Ukraine, continuously reinforcing its ranks with the support of North Korean and Russian allies.

The ultimate goal is to replace the government led by Zelensky with a "peace administration," with which Putin can proceed with the arrangements necessary to incorporate Ukraine into Russia. As a token of gratitude for their assistance, the Chinese will be granted a 100-year exclusive right to the natural resources of southeastern Siberia, ensuring their self-sufficiency in raw materials for the foreseeable future.

At the press conference announcing this news, the U.S. president beamed like the sun as he declared that the agreement guarantees the achievement of peace. Additionally, he announced that he would soon travel to Norway to meet the king.

With this news, I wish you all, my esteemed readers, a delightful start to April!

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Anecdotes and Jokes About Vladimir Putin
Did You Know That 1952 Was a Turning Point in World Eras?
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