Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen has backed a proposal to place the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service, Supo, under the Foreign Ministry, reopening a debate over which part of government should oversee the country’s civilian intelligence service.

Outgoing Foreign Ministry State Secretary Jukka Salovaara proposed the change on Monday at Finland’s annual meeting of ambassadors in Helsinki.

Salovaara said Supo and the Foreign Ministry increasingly work on the same security issues and often produce joint assessments.

“It would be natural for the Security and Intelligence Service, which has developed strongly into a civilian intelligence service, to operate under the Foreign Ministry’s direction, as in Sweden,” Salovaara said in his speech.

Supo currently operates under the Interior Ministry. At the start of 2026, the service moved under the direct authority of the ministry’s permanent secretary.

Valtonen told reporters at the ambassadors’ meeting that she supported Salovaara’s proposal. She said Supo’s role has changed and its work has become more closely connected with foreign and security policy.

Valtonen also argued that separating Supo from the Interior Ministry would reduce competition over funding between the intelligence service and the police.

“Supo is not an actual police organisation, and the transfer could also be good because it would not have to compete for the same funding with the police,” Valtonen said.

She said the service needs enough resources and the ability to work with international partners.

Any transfer would require a political decision. Valtonen said the issue should be settled by Finland’s next government rather than the current administration.

The proposal follows an earlier discussion about Supo’s position within government. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said in September 2025 that he was prepared to examine whether the service should move under the Prime Minister’s Office. He noted that several countries organise intelligence oversight in this way.

Interior Minister Mari Rantanen opposed that proposal at the time and said Supo would remain under the Interior Ministry.

Salovaara also proposed combining responsibility for foreign and European affairs by making the foreign minister Finland’s Europe minister.

He argued that EU foreign policy increasingly involves national leaders through the European Council and that stronger links between the foreign minister and EU affairs would support Finland’s influence. Valtonen also backed that proposal.

The debate comes as Finland’s diplomatic leadership meets in Helsinki for the Foreign Ministry’s annual ambassadors’ conference, which runs from Monday to Wednesday and focuses on foreign policy, international relations and the country’s security environment.

Salovaara will leave his Foreign Ministry post at the beginning of September to become the European Union’s ambassador in London. Foreign affairs counsellor Tuomas Tapio will succeed him as state secretary.

HT