Current affairs

In the European Parliament elections of spring 2019, advance voting will be organised in The Netherlands from 15th to 18th May. There will be two advance polling stations. Check advance polling stations and times from the list below. It is also possible to vote by post.

Finnish Easter traditions mix religious references with customs related to the long-awaited arrival of spring. If you answer the door on the Sunday before Easter, you may be confronted by endearing little witches offering to bless your home in return for treats.

The parliamentary elections will be held on Sunday 14 April 2019. Advance voting will be possible abroad from 3 to 6 April. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs is responsible for the organisation of advance voting abroad.

If you have participated in the Foreign Correspondents’ Programme or Young Journalists, as it was first called in the 90’s, now you might have a chance for another Finland-packed experience. Foreign Correspondents’ Programme – Alumni Edition 2019 starts on June 10th and ends on June 16th, 2019. Check out if you’re eligible and apply now!

Just outside Helsinki, a show at the Gallen-Kallela Museum ties together Finnish epic poetry, local storytelling in many languages, and rarely seen artworks by a famous painter.

The EU Regulation on simplifying the requirements for presenting public documents will become applicable on 16 February 2019. The Regulation aims to reduce formalities and costs related to the acceptance of documents such as marriage and birth certificates.

A possibility to vote by post will be introduced in the parliamentary elections of spring 2019. This means that eligible voters who reside abroad permanently (expatriate Finns) and eligible voters who reside in Finland but are abroad at the time of the elections may vote by post. Advance voting will be arranged at Finnish diplomatic and consular missions abroad in the same manner as before.

The Embassy of Finland in The Hague & the Embassy of the Netherlands in Finland cordially invite you to this interactive seminar & networking event on 13 February 2019. The event will simultaneously take place in two cities, connected with a live stream.

Finland is number one in the newest Good Country Index, which seeks to measure “what each country on earth contributes to the good of humanity.” We talk to the index’s creator, Simon Anholt, about what it means to be “goodest.”