Government and politics in Pohjois- ja Itä-Suomi, Finland: official figures
Health, social and rescue services in the Northern and Eastern Finland major region are run by 7 wellbeing services counties (South Savo, Kainuu, Central Ostrobothnia, Lapland, North Karelia, North Ostrobothnia and North Savo), whose county councils have 443 seats in total.
Which party won the county elections in Northern and Eastern Finland?
Across the 7 county councils in the Northern and Eastern Finland major region, the Centre Party (KESK) won the most seats in 2025, 153 of 443 (35%), against 161 in 2022; the next largest were the Social Democratic Party (SDP) with 89 and the National Coalition Party (KOK) with 68.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus), from the election results of the Ministry of Justice · saved copyWho controls the county councils in Northern and Eastern Finland?
The largest party on each county council in the Northern and Eastern Finland major region after the 2025 election: KESK in South Savo (20 of 59); KESK in Kainuu (22 of 59); KESK in Central Ostrobothnia (19 of 59); KESK in Lapland (21 of 59); KESK in North Karelia (19 of 59); KESK in North Ostrobothnia (29 of 79); KESK in North Savo (23 of 69).
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus), from the election results of the Ministry of Justice · saved copyHow many women are on the county council in Northern and Eastern Finland?
Women won 54.4% of the county council seats in the Northern and Eastern Finland major region in 2025, 2nd lowest of the 4 areas that hold county elections (Finland: 57.4%).
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus), from the election results of the Ministry of Justice · saved copyWhat was the turnout in the county elections in Northern and Eastern Finland?
Turnout in the 2025 county elections was 50.3% in Northern and Eastern Finland (Pohjois- ja Itä-Suomi), the lowest of the 4 areas that hold county elections (Finland 51.7%), up from 47.1% in 2022.
Source: Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Sotkanet · saved copyWhat is the budget of the wellbeing services county in Northern and Eastern Finland?
In 2025 the county services in the Northern and Eastern Finland major region spent a net €1,142 per resident on older people, the largest social care item, and earned €76.44 per resident of state funding through the health and wellbeing promotion (HYTE) coefficient.
Source: Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Sotkanet · saved copyHow Pohjois- ja Itä-Suomi compares with other regions
Voter turnout in the 2025 county (wellbeing services county) elections (%) (2025)
Pohjois- ja Itä-Suomi ranks 4 of 4, highest first. Helsinki and Åland do not hold county elections.
| Rank | Region | Voter turnout in the 2025 county (wellbeing services county) elections (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Länsi-Suomi | 53.6% |
| 2 | Etelä-Suomi | 51.8% |
| 3 | Helsinki-Uusimaa | 50.9% |
| 4 | Pohjois- ja Itä-Suomi | 50.3% |
Women as a share of county councillors elected in 2025 (%) (2025)
Pohjois- ja Itä-Suomi ranks 3 of 4, highest first. Seats on the county councils of the wellbeing services counties in the area; Helsinki and Åland have none.
| Rank | Region | Women as a share of county councillors elected in 2025 (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Helsinki-Uusimaa | 63.4% |
| 2 | Etelä-Suomi | 59.7% |
| 3 | Pohjois- ja Itä-Suomi | 54.4% |
| 4 | Länsi-Suomi | 54.3% |
More on Pohjois- ja Itä-Suomi: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government budget · Finland
Sources
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Sotkanet: Sotkanet indicator bank, REST API 1.1: 32 indicators (one exact JSON response per indicator, e.g. indicator=5761, plus the region list) on morbidity, primary care, lifestyle, social assistance, homelessness, county election turnout and the net operating costs of wellbeing services counties, 2015-2025, bundled in one zip, read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 e5b01db4f1e9…)
- Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus), from the election results of the Ministry of Justice: Numbers and proportions of elected councillors by party, sex and wellbeing services county in County elections, 2022-2025 (table 153i, PxWeb API POST query, json-stat2), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 36eb52231311…)
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