Finland needs a major pension overhaul that starts by facing the music, according to Helsingin Sanomat.
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Could living in the Finnish archipelago hold the secret to a healthier life? Image: Minna Rosvall / Yle
Helsingin Sanomat begins the week by suggesting that the country is in for a big pension overhaul.
If Finland were to raise its retirement age to 70, the country could save more than 10 billion euros a year in pension expenditure, the paper reports, adding that the impact on public finances could be nothing short of transformative.
Government borrowing could be brought to a halt within five years, without the need for further cuts to social benefits.
HS prods why such policies are not on the table.
When the pension system was set up back in 1962, people typically lived fewer than 10 years after retiring. These days, they enjoy around 20 years of retirement. Meanwhile, the average number of children per woman has dropped from 2.7 in the early 1960s to about 1.25, meaning far fewer young people (taxpayers) are around to fund all the retirees.
Sky intruders
Ilta-Sanomat follows up on recent drone incursions by Russia, reiterating Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s comments last week that Finland has not seen any drone sightings of concern similar to those reported in Denmark.
Over the weekend, drones were spotted in Germany, including at Munich Airport. The day before, on Friday, drones were seen flying over a military base in Belgium, according to IS.
Russia has strongly denied any involvement in the drone-related airspace violations, instead accusing Nato of provocation.
A Finnish ‘blue zone’?
Bergö is a tiny island village about 60 kilometres south of Vaasa, with just under 500 residents. Life there is easygoing — and long — reports Hufvudstadsbladet.
Locals seem to have discovered a recipe for longevity, which has led researchers at Ã…bo Akademi to compare the place to the world’s famous ‘blue zones’, where people live significantly longer and healthier lives than the global average, according to HBL.
“We’ve been mapping the health and living conditions of older adults for 20 years through surveys,” social scientist Sarah Ã…kerman explained. “We’ve also conducted in-home interviews, including medical assessments.
The most recent survey, carried out in 2021–2022, was used to explore the link between so-called ‘blue zone’ lifestyles, regional differences and health outcomes.
“Living to 120 isn’t the only measure of a good life. What matters just as much is staying healthy,” said Ã…kerman, who’s leading a project on Nordic blue zones.
Earlier research shows that western Finland and Swedish-speaking areas enjoy longer life expectancy than the country’s east. Ã…land tops the list, followed by Ostrobothnia.
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Finding home on stage
