On 4 December 2025, Finland took an important step in confronting its past as the country’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission presented a landmark report detailing decades of injustices suffered by the Sámi, the only Indigenous people of Europe. The report was officially presented in Helsinki during a ceremony attended by Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, Sámi Parliament President Tuomas Aslak Juuso, and Hannele Pokka, chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The commission was established in 2021 to investigate historical discrimination and human rights violations committed against the Sámi people by the Finnish state.
A History of Assimilation and Discrimination
According to the commission’s findings, Finnish policies over much of the 20th century aimed at the forced assimilation of the Sámi population. Although these policies were not always formalised in law—as they were in Norway or Sweden—their impact was equally damaging. Until the late 1990s, Sámi children were often taken from their families and placed in boarding schools, where they were forbidden to speak their own languages or practice Sámi culture. These measures, the report concludes, caused long-lasting trauma, cultural erosion, and the weakening of intergenerational knowledge transfer. The commission based its conclusions on testimony from around 400 Sámi individuals and more than a dozen experts, all of whom confirmed systemic discrimination and violations of fundamental rights.
No Official Apology—Yet
Despite the severity of these findings, Finland has never formally apologised to the Sámi people. During the presentation of the report, Prime Minister Orpo acknowledged this gap, stating that “it is evident that the time has come” for such an apology—marking the strongest signal yet from a Finnish government leader that an official reckoning may be imminent. Currently, around 10,500 Sámi live in Finland, primarily in the northern regions of the country. Across the wider Sámi homeland—stretching across northern Finland, Sweden, Norway, and parts of Russia—the total Sámi population is estimated at between 75,000 and 100,000 people. Many Sámi continue to practice traditional livelihoods such as reindeer herding, fishing, foraging, and handicrafts, which remain central to their cultural identity.
68 Measures for a Better Future
The commission’s report does not stop at documenting past wrongs. It outlines 68 concrete measures aimed at ensuring a more just and sustainable future for the Sámi people. Among the key recommendations are:
Finland’s ratification of the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention of the International Labour Organization (ILO Convention 169);
The creation of a dedicated Sámi affairs coordination unit within the Prime Minister’s Office;
Stronger recognition of Sámi land rights and cultural autonomy.
As Hannele Pokka stressed, the Finnish state must acknowledge that the country was built on land historically belonging to two peoples—the Sámi and the Finns—and accept responsibility for the harm caused by past policies.
Contemporary Challenges
Beyond historical injustices, the Sámi today face mounting pressures from climate change and increasing interest by states and companies in exploiting northern lands for mining, energy, and infrastructure projects. These developments threaten traditional livelihoods and raise urgent questions about consent, sustainability, and Indigenous rights. The commission’s report represents a crucial moment in Finland’s relationship with its Indigenous population. Whether its recommendations will lead to lasting change now depends on political will—and on whether words of reconciliation are followed by concrete action.
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