Finland foreign policy public opinion has shifted sharply in favor of the presidency, according to new findings from the Finnish Business and Policy Forum EVA. The survey suggests that most respondents view the President’s role in foreign affairs as effective, while confidence in the current government remains significantly weaker.
A total of 83 percent of participants rated President Alexander Stubb’s foreign policy performance as at least fairly good. Stubb took office in March 2024 and has positioned himself as an active international figure through diplomatic visits and global partnerships. Former President Sauli Niinisto received even higher approval, with 87 percent expressing a positive view of his leadership during his term from 2012 to 2024.
The survey was part of EVA’s Autumn Values and Attitudes research carried out in October 2025. Compared with a similar study released in 2016, public satisfaction with Finland’s foreign policy direction has grown. In the latest results, 59 percent agreed that foreign policy has been well managed by state leadership, while 22 percent disagreed.
EVA managing editor Sami Metelinen said that Stubb has quickly positioned himself as a unifying figure for the nation. He noted that the President’s international networks and diplomatic approach are widely considered to align with national interests.
Support for key ministers involved in foreign and defense policy was also positive, though not as strong as support for the President. Defence Minister Antti Hakkinen received approval from 56 percent of respondents and Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen was rated favorably by 55 percent. Hakkinen drew more support from voters aligned with the Finns Party and Christian Democrats, while Valtonen received stronger backing from supporters of the Social Democrats, Greens, and Swedish People’s Party.
Public trust in the government led by Petteri Orpo was markedly lower. Only 33 percent rated the government’s foreign policy performance positively and 60 percent rated it poorly. Orpo’s personal performance reflected similar trends, with 35 percent expressing satisfaction and 57 percent dissatisfied.
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Metelinen said the criticism directed at the government’s foreign policy likely mirrors broader dissatisfaction with its overall governance performance. He also pointed to internal disagreements within the coalition regarding Finland’s position on the Israel-Palestine conflict as one source of public concern.
The survey included responses from 2,038 participants between 7 and 20 October. Data was collected through Taloustutkimus Oy’s online panel and weighted to reflect national demographics based on age, gender, region, education, profession, industry, and political alignment.
