The National Coalition Party, Finns Party, Swedish People's Party and Christian Democrats are currently negotiating on the content of a programme for a new government.
Iltalehti writes that the big question in the talks is how the future government plans to curb spending in the social and health services sector in Finland. According to Iltalehti's sources, the NCP is continuing to seek significant savings in social and health expenditures.
The paper looked at some of the proposals by the Ministry of Finance which are being used as a basis for negotiations.
For example, the costs of the health and social services sector will take up almost a third of the state budget this year, and so is under pressure to achieve savings.
According to the Ministry of Finance, it is practically impossible to reduce the funding of wellbeing services counties without a corresponding reduction in their tasks and obligations.
The ministry has proposed the repeal of the patient-to-staff ratio requirement in residential care facilities mandated by the government headed by Sanna Marin (SDP). That plan calls for a ratio of 0.7 personnel per patient starting in December 2023. Fewer staff in these facilities could save 240 million euros as of 2024, according to the Finance Ministry.
It also suggests that fees for social and health services could be increased "moderately", for example, for specialised medical care.
Fees for specialised care currently covers about 4 percent of operating costs and is more than 300 million euros per year. A 10-percent increase in fees would bring in around another 30 million euros.
Helsingin Sanomat reports that Petteri Orpo (NCP), who is leading the talks, told the press on Tuesday that an agreement on the financial framework of a government programme was reached among the parties "relatively easily".
In contrast, Riikka Purra, chair of the Finns Party, stressed that there is still no consensus on all of the issues. The same was said by Swedish People's Party leader Anna-Maja Henriksson, who, however, emphasised that there is consensus about the broad outlines of fiscal policy.
Southern manoeuvres
Etelä-Suomen Sanomat is among the papers reporting that a special forces military exercise dubbed "Southern Griffin 23" begins today, Wednesday, in parts of southern Finland and will run through 21 May.
Spearheaded by the Finnish Army's Utti Jaeger Regiment, the exercises also include units from the United States and Europe.
According to the Finnish Army, the aim of the exercise is is to further develop the joint operating ability and interoperability of the Finnish Defence Forces' special forces and special forces' aviation together with other units and international partners.
In addition to ground forces, the manoeuvres also include helicopters, transport and surveillance aircraft, and commando boats.
The exercises will be taking place on land, sea and air, and the army has said that in particular the flight activity and weapons firing may cause noise disturbance across the training exercise area.
Hockey traffic arrangements
The first puck drops in this year's Ice Hockey World Championships in Tampere on Friday, and Aamulehti reports extensive changes in the city's traffic arrangements for the duration of the games.
Bus routes, as well as driving and parking arrangements for private vehicles will see changes in areas nearby the Nokia Arena as of Friday 12 May and will continue in force through Sunday 28 May.
There will also be traffic and parking restrictions in the areas of Pyynikki and the city's Central Square.
Aamulehti provides readers with a full listing of changes (in Finnish) to traffic services during the games.
Finland's state railways VR is also adding 30 extra trains to its schedule during the championships, with special services on the Finnish team's game days to Turku, Vaasa, Jyväskylä and Helsinki after the matches.
VR says that departures will be flexible. If the last matches of the day drag on, departures will be delayed so that fans can still catch the last train home.
Finland heads into Eurovision final
One piece of news was headlined by nearly every newspaper in the country on Wednesday morning—the results of the first semi-final round of the Eurovision Song Contest which saw Finland's Käärijä now heading into Saturday's finals.
Ilta-Sanomat writes that it's no exaggeration to say that Käärijä got the biggest applause of all the evening's performers, both in the arena and in the press centre.
In addition to Finland, the entries from Sweden, Croatia, Moldova, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Israel, Portugal, Serbia and Norway made it into the grand final after Tuesday's round.
Käärijä told the press that he is thrilled by the fact that he is competing with a song in the Finnish language.
"There are a lot of people in Finland who didn't believe in a song in Finnish. I want to show that we can win with a Finnish song. That's why I'm here," he said.
The second semi-final of the competition will take place Thursday evening and the Eurovision Song Contest final will be on Saturday evening, 13 May.
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