Finland’s government survived a parliamentary confidence vote on Friday after opposition parties challenged its Middle East policy and Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen’s recent visit to Israel. Häkkänen also retained Parliament’s confidence in a separate vote.
Häkkänen won the confidence vote by 114 votes to 61. The government led by Prime Minister Petteri Orpo secured 93 votes to 62, with 21 MPs abstaining. The two votes followed separate no-confidence motions brought by opposition MPs over Finland’s approach to the Middle East and the defence minister’s September trip to Israel.
The political dispute intensified after Häkkänen travelled to Lebanon and Israel from September 13 to 18. During the Israel leg of the trip, he met Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz and discussed defence cooperation. The visit also included discussions and visits related to Finland’s future air-defence capabilities, including the David’s Sling system that Finland agreed to purchase from Israel in November 2023.
Opposition parties questioned the timing and purpose of the visit, particularly the meeting with Katz. They also criticised Häkkänen for not meeting Palestinian representatives during the trip.
The Social Democratic Party (SDP), Finland’s largest opposition party, argued that disagreements within the governing coalition had produced an unclear and inconsistent approach to the Middle East. SDP MP Tytti Tuppurainen proposed a no-confidence motion against the government, citing differences within the government as well as what she described as inconsistency and passivity in Finland’s Middle East policy.
A separate motion targeted Häkkänen directly. Green Party MP Atte Harjanne argued that the defence minister’s conduct during the Israel trip conflicted with Finland’s foreign-policy line and values. Left Alliance chair Minja Koskela supported the motion.
The controversy also touches on Finland’s continuing defence relationship with Israel. The David’s Sling purchase, agreed in November 2023, is part of Finland’s effort to strengthen its air-defence capabilities. Häkkänen has presented his September visit in the context of Finland’s security needs and defence cooperation.
Critics, however, have questioned whether closer defence cooperation with Israel is consistent with Finland’s wider position on the war in Gaza and the country’s stated commitment to international law. The SDP said it was unclear whether Häkkänen had raised concerns about alleged Israeli violations of international law during his visit.
The dispute comes as Finland’s governing parties have faced differences over aspects of the country’s Middle East policy. The disagreement has included questions surrounding Finland’s position on measures involving Israeli settlements, adding to opposition criticism that the government’s position has not been consistent.
Häkkänen’s visit also had a direct effect on his schedule. He cancelled his planned participation in the Joint Expeditionary Force defence ministers’ meeting in Reykjavik on October 1 and 2 because of the confidence vote in Parliament. The meeting was due to address issues including strengthening defence cooperation in Northern Europe.
Despite the political dispute, Friday’s votes allowed both Häkkänen and the government to remain in office with Parliament’s confidence. The results also showed a difference between the two votes. Häkkänen received broader support, while the government vote was closer and included 21 abstentions.
