Public support for Finland recognising Palestine has seen a noticeable decline over the past year. This shift is based on new data from a national survey carried out by research firm Tietoykkönen for Uutissuomalainen.
According to the results, 37 percent of respondents now say Finland should officially recognise Palestine as a state. That figure stood at 41 percent in the same survey just one year ago. At the same time, those against recognition have increased. Last year, only 17 percent opposed it. Now, that number has risen to 26 percent.
One of the most striking aspects of the survey is the gender split. Support among women remains higher than among men. While 42 percent of women said Finland should recognise Palestine, only 33 percent of men shared that view. The opposition from men was also significantly stronger. Forty-one percent of male respondents said they were against recognition, compared to just 11 percent of women.
Globally, 147 out of 193 United Nations member states have already recognised Palestine as a sovereign state. Among the Nordic countries, both Sweden and Norway have extended official recognition. Finland, however, continues to maintain a cautious approach. According to Finnish politicians, the country will recognise Palestine “when the time is right”, though no clear timeline has been shared.
Despite the political hesitation, demonstrations in support of Palestinians have continued throughout Finland. On 28 June, protestors gathered once again in Helsinki, waving Palestinian flags and calling on the government to take a stronger position. These public protests have remained a recurring part of the national conversation since the start of the war in Gaza.
The recent survey, conducted in June, included responses from 1,000 Finnish residents. The stated margin of error is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. Interestingly, the share of people who chose not to express a clear opinion on the issue dropped slightly compared to last year.
As the conflict in Gaza continues and international attention remains focused on the Middle East, Finnish public opinion seems to be shifting. Whether or not this will influence national policy remains to be seen, but the data signals growing division on the topic of Finland recognising Palestine.
