The Daily Populous Thursday June 19th, 2025 evening edition
Authored by yle.fi and submitted by Jarminaattori

Those voting against the measure included 10 MPs from the Left Alliance, seven Greens MPs, as well as one from the Swedish People's Party, which is part of the coalition government.

Parliament approved the measure to withdraw from the agreement by a vote of 157 to 18.

Finnish MPs voted to approve the country's withdrawal from the Ottawa Treaty on Thursday, as Finland plans to resume using anti-personnel landmines.

MPs approved the measure to withdraw from the agreement by a vote of 157 to 18. There were no abstentions, and 24 lawmakers were absent.

The Finnish government submitted a proposal to Parliament about withdrawing from the agreement late last month, while it announced that it was preparing to do so earlier in the spring.

The next steps in decoupling from the international agreement include a confirmation by President Alexander Stubb, then Finland sending a notice about the matter to the UN Secretary-General, the government said last month.

The treaty bans the use of, stockpiling, production and transfer of anti-personnel mines and also requires their destruction.

In 2012, Finland became the last EU member state to sign onto the 1997 treaty. The countries of Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia and Poland announced that they were withdrawing from the treaty earlier this spring.

Last week Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, which among other things deals with major treaties and other foreign and security policy matters, said it supported withdrawing from the anit-personnel mine agreement.

It said that Finland needs to reassess treaty-based restrictions that could weaken its self-defence capabilities amid a weakened security situation.

However, the committee's chairman noted that the body emphasised that Finland needs to demonstrate "through concrete actions that it would continue to defend the multilateral international rules-based system".

The committee proposed that Finland would continue its strong support for humanitarian action regarding landmines, for example demining in crisis areas.

MPs on Thursday also voted to approve the foreign affairs committee's statement.

gordonjames62 on June 19th, 2025 at 12:18 UTC »

> The countries of Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia and Poland announced that they were withdrawing from the treaty earlier this spring.

interesting that all these countries border on Russia.

Ormusn2o on June 19th, 2025 at 10:49 UTC »

That treaty only works if you can get others to sign it as well. Obviously their biggest enemy is a prominent use of mines, so there is no point.

Jarminaattori on June 19th, 2025 at 10:42 UTC »

Finland’s Parliament has voted to withdraw from the Ottawa Mine Ban Treaty, allowing the Finnish Defence Forces to legally use anti-personnel landmines. The decision passed with 157 in favor and 18 against; no abstentions, though 24 MPs were absent.