Sonkajärvi municipality in the North Savo region had the highest number of candidates who were open to hosting refugees.
The list was compiled from municipal candidates’ answers on Yle’s voter guidance web pages. The pages were designed to assist voters make their decisions in the upcoming municipal election.
Over 60 percent of candidates in Sonkajärvi agreed with the voter guidance question “My municipality should receive refugees who have been granted asylum in Finland".
Sonkajärvi candidates were even more positive on the issue than candidates in multicultural capital Helsinki, which came in second. Turku was the third most refugee-friendly municipality, with Espoo fourth.
Percentage of municipal candidates in favour of receiving refugees
| Sonkajärvi | 60.9% |
| Helsinki | 60.4% |
| Turku | 49.1% |
| Espoo | 48.3% |
| Kristiinankaupunki | 48.3% |
| Uusikaarlepyy | 48.3% |
The municipalities most resistant to refugees were Merijärvi in Northern Ostrobothnia and Kinnula in Central Finland. Half of the candidates in these municipalities would not be willing to receive refugees granted asylum in Finland.
Percentage of municipal candidates against receiving refugees
| Kinnula | 50% |
| Merijärvi | 50% |
| Honkajoki | 36.4% |
| Lestijärvi | 33.3% |
| Ristijärvi | 33.3% |
| Lappajärvi | 28.6% |
