Joonas Tuhkuri in German newspaper article on Finland’s economy
Joonas Tuhkuri, Assistant Professor of Economics at Stockholm University, was recently interviewed in the German daily newspaper Tagesspiegel. ”Economic growth in Finland has practically stagnated for two decades,” Tuhkuri says.
Joonas Tuhkuri, Assistant Professor of Economics at Stockholm University. Photo: Johanna Säll/Stockholm University
The article discusses Finland’s economic outlook in light of rising defense expenditures and long-term growth challenges. Tuhkuri points to structural factors behind Finland’s weak growth performance, including the composition of its industries, the regional distribution of economic activity, and the mix of skills in the labor market.
”Economic growth in Finland has practically stagnated for two decades,” he notes, adding that the slowdown cannot be explained only by cyclical or temporary factors.
Tuhkuri also comments on the government’s plans to reduce funding for education and research. ”Already today, the share of young people with a higher education degree is below the OECD average,” he says. ”That is not a law of nature but a policy choice.”
The article places Tuhkuri’s analysis in the broader context of Finland’s efforts to balance defense spending, public finances, and long-term competitiveness.
