Talks on the next government's programme started this week, with four parties and their advisors and lobbyists all focused on the House of the Estates in Helsinki where multiple working groups were named this week to thrash out policy in different areas.
The negotiations are expected to be difficult, with the Finns Party's lines on immigration and European Union policy expected to be challenged by the more liberal Swedish People's Party.
Ilta-Sanomat reports that there appeared to be some frustration on Thursday night after Sebastian Tynkkynen, a former reality TV participant and Finns Party MP, had asked followers on Twitter to tell him which Yle content and channels were not necessary.
He had been appointed to chair talks on digital communications, which he interpreted to include Yle's funding and content.
That idea was slapped down by Prime Minister-elect Petteri Orpo (NCP) later on Thursday, when he was asked if his government would try to influence Yle's output. He said that no, content was not a matter for government, and that Yle policy is traditionally managed in parliament by cross-party consensus.
Tynkkynen was displeased by that comment, and said on social media later that Orpo had made a "big mistake".
Working groups officially start their deliberations next week.
Plastic pitch problem
Rubber crumb, an essential component of artificial football pitches, is to be banned by the European Union within eight years — and that could pose a huge threat to Nordic football.
That's according to the President of the Norwegian Football Association Lise Klaveness, who told Helsingin Sanomat that the Nordic countries need to find a replacement fast.
The tiny black pieces of rubber help make plastic pitches feel more like real grass, which does not grow at these latitudes for most of the year.
The spread of artificial pitches has helped more Finnish footballers play all year round, but the rubber crumb — which is usually made from recycled tyres — is toxic to humans and the environment.
It's already been removed by some European clubs, including Ajax Amsterdam, and now the EU has said that must happen across the bloc.
Speaking to HS at an event celebrating the 50th anniversary of the founding of Finland's women's national team, Klaveness said the rubber crumb ban will be a problem for the Nordic countries.
There are 29,000 artificial pitches in the EU, and 457 of them are in Finland. There have been attempts to find a sustainable alternative, but nothing has so far stood up to the challenging climate quite like rubber crumb.
Pea soup and war games
Iltalehti has been to meet some of the American soldiers taking part in the Arrow 23 military exercises in Niinisalo. Strategic and military chat was at a minimum, but the soldiers said they were surprised by the chilly weather in May.
One aspect of Finnish military life they did appreciate, however, was the food. Both soldiers said the food was tasty, and considerably better than the "MRE" (meal ready to eat) packages on offer in the US military.
Pea soup and chicken wings were particular favourites. Less popular were sauna and ice swimming, with the soldiers asking the reporter if that was "some kind of joke".
The Arrow 23 exercises bring together some 2,200 troops from six Nato countries for war games lasting until 15 May.
