Extending the pushback act
Act amending section 7 of the Act on Temporary Measures to Combat Instrumentalised Migration
The validity of the so-called pushback act would be extended until the end of 2026. The act makes it possible to restrict applications for asylum at the border if a foreign state uses migrants to put pressure on Finland.
- Status
- Passed with amendments
- Submitted
- 27 Mar 2025
- Latest event
- 5 Jun 2025
- Votes
- 2
- Speeches
- 132
- Confirmed
- 27 Jun 2025
- Statute
- 368/2025
- Source
- eduskunta.fi ↗
What is proposed
The validity of the Act on Temporary Measures to Combat Instrumentalised Migration would be extended until 31 December 2026. No changes are proposed to the substantive content of the act, and the legislative amendment is intended to enter into force on 21 July 2025 at the latest.
What it means
The authorities and the Government would retain the preparedness to introduce, as a measure of last resort, powers to prevent entry and restrict applications for international protection in a specified border area in serious disruptions involving instrumentalised migration. Maintaining the preparedness infrastructure at border crossing points costs the Finnish Border Guard approximately 60,000 euros per month. The impacts on migrants and asylum seekers would only materialise if the Government and the President of the Republic decide separately to apply the act.
How Parliament voted
2nd reading · 3 Jun 2025Parliament passed the act by 168–29.
The SDP and the Centre voted with the government. 2 MPs were absent. Minutes ↗
Filled dot = yes, ring = no, grey = absent. Point at a dot to see the MP. Seats follow the current seating plan (updated 20 Sep 2026). 4 MPs who voted are not in the current seating plan.
A passed act does not enter into force immediately: the President of the Republic confirms it, and it enters into force on the date set in the act. This act was confirmed on 27 Jun 2025.
Debate in the chamber
What was argued and where each group stood, followed by MPs' speeches verbatim from the parliamentary record. Speeches are shown in their original language.
132 speeches · 3 debates
Key points of the debate
Parliament debated extending the validity of the so-called pushback act until the end of 2026 to combat instrumentalised migration. The government parties and a large part of the opposition considered extending the act necessary due to Finland's security and the hybrid threat on the eastern border. However, the proposal met with fierce opposition from part of the opposition on the grounds that it violates human rights treaties, EU law and the rule of law.
- Does the act conflict with international human rights treaties, EU law and the Constitution?
- Is the security situation on the eastern border still so exceptional that extending the temporary derogation act is necessary?
- Does extending the act undermine the foundations of the rule of law, or does it protect Finland's sovereignty?
- National Coalition PartyIn favour
The group considered extending the act a necessary preventive measure to respond to a hostile neighbouring country's attempts to destabilise Finland by instrumentalising migration.
”Laki on edelleen välttämätön, koska mikään olosuhteissa ei ole muuttunut niin, että turvallisuudestamme voisi tinkiä.”
— Juha Hänninen - Finns PartyIn favour
The group considered the act an essential security tool against Russian hybrid influence activities and emphasised the state's right to control its own borders.
”Lain jatkaminen vuoden 26 loppuun asti on perusteltu ja ennen kaikkea välttämätön ratkaisu Suomen turvallisuuden kannalta.”
— Mira Nieminen - Swedish People's PartyIn favour
The group supported extending the validity, as the security environment on the eastern border has not improved and the authorities need tools to maintain border security.
”Hallitus esittää tämänhetkisten arvioiden perusteella jatkoa rajaturvallisuuslakiin, jotta rajan turvallisuus saadaan ylläpidettyä tarvittavalla tasolla.”
— Christoffer Ingo - Social DemocratsSplit
The majority of the group's speakers supported extending the act to ensure national security in the changed security situation, but there were also calls from within the group to reject the act.
”Ikävä tosiasia on, että syyt, joiden takia tätä rajaturvallisuuslakia tarvitaan, eivät ole poistuneet mihinkään.”
— Antti Lindtman - Centre PartyIn favour
The group supported the proposal unequivocally, as the situational picture provided by security authorities supports the need for additional tools to ensure stability on the eastern border.
”Kuten tuossa kuultiin, keskusta tukee tätä hallituksen esitystä.”
— Petri Honkonen - GreensAgainst
The group opposed extending the act because it considered the act to violate the Constitution, EU law and international human rights obligations.
”Siksi vihreät eivät voi tätä esitystä kannattaa.”
— Tiina Elo - Left AllianceAgainst
The group demanded the rejection of the act, arguing that preventing asylum applications violates the absolute principle of non-refoulement, the rule of law and core constitutional principles.
”Vasemmistoliitto puolustaa johdonmukaisesti oikeusvaltiota, perustuslakia ja ihmisoikeuksia eikä voi siksi kannattaa näiden kanssa räikeässä ristiriidassa olevaa käännytyslakia.”
— Veronika Honkasalo
This digest was generated by AI from 132 speeches 13 Sep 2026. Group positions are read from the speeches, not from votes; quotations were checked verbatim against the record. The longest speeches were shortened in the digest's source material.
Keskustelu päättyi. Asia lähetettiin hallintovaliokuntaan, jolle perustuslakivaliokunnan on annettava lausunto.
Yleiskeskustelu päättyi. Eduskunta hyväksyi hallituksen esitykseen HE 18/2025 vp sisältyvän lakiehdotuksen sisällön mietinnön mukaisena. Lakiehdotuksen ensimmäinen käsittely päättyi.
Keskustelu päättyi ja asian käsittely keskeytettiin.
Stages of consideration
The bill's path from the preliminary debate to the decision, as recorded by Parliament.
- 27 Mar 2025Eduskuntakäsittelyn vireilletulo · Sisäministeriö
- 8 Apr 2025Lähetekeskustelu · Täysistunto
- 27 May 2025Valiokunnan mietintö tai lausunto · hallintovaliokunta
- 28 May 2025Ensimmäinen käsittely · Täysistunto
- 4 Jun 2025Toinen käsittely · Täysistunto
- 4 Jun 2025Eduskunnan vastaus ja kirjelmä
Decisions by law proposal1
- 1Laki väliaikaisista toimenpiteistä välineellistetyn maahantulon torjumiseksi annetun lain 7 §:n muuttamisestaHyväksytty muutettuna · 368/2025 · 27 Jun 2025
Proposed law text
The law proposals in the bill as the Government presented them. The final act may differ after committee consideration.
The law text is shown in Finnish or Swedish from Parliament's official documents; it is not translated into English.
Laki väliaikaisista toimenpiteistä välineellistetyn maahantulon torjumiseksi annetun lain 7 §:n muuttamisesta
Eduskunnan päätöksen mukaisesti muutetaan väliaikaisista toimenpiteistä välineellistetyn maahantulon torjumiseksi annetun lain (482/2024) 7 § seuraavasti:
7 §Voimaantulo
Tämä laki tulee voimaan 22 päivänä heinäkuuta 2024 ja on voimassa 31 päivään joulukuuta 2026.
§
Tämä laki tulee voimaan päivänä kuuta 20 .
Main content of the bill (official)
The summary and title were produced with AI on 25 Aug 2026. They are not official documents – check the details in the original bill. The title and summaries are machine translations of the Finnish AI summaries. Speeches and quotations are always shown in their original language.