Thursday papers: High housing costs, parliamentary decorum, colder weather

“Ilta-Sanomat” was included in the morning daily reporting on the review of the housing market conducted by the Nordea banking group, which shows that since 2020 housing costs have increased by 25%, while wages have only increased by 12%.

Nordea attributes the cost increase to a number of factors, starting in 2022 with higher energy costs as prices for both electricity and heat rose.

Although the price of electricity has dropped from its peak, it still represents four percentage points of the 25% cost increase. Higher water and garbage disposal costs have increased overall housing costs by about two percentage points.

Nordea calculates that tenants have had it easier than owner-occupiers because rents have increased by just seven percent in four years. However, rising electricity and water bills also hit tenants’ wallets.

Landlords and landlords have been hit the hardest by rising interest rates. These items account for more than half of the increase in housing costs. In addition, renovation costs for owner-occupied housing increased by four percentage points.

However, Ilta-Sanomat points to good news in its report. Housing costs have begun to decline, partly due to slightly lower interest rates.

Electricity remains expensive

Most newspapers remind readers that electricity spot prices will be extremely high again on Thursday.

According to a report by news agency STT, Thursday’s prices are expected to be highest between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. at 43 cents per kilowatt hour.

The average daily price per kilowatt hour will likely be more than 23 cents. The lowest spot price, just over 6 cents per kWh, is expected to be seen between 11 p.m. and midnight. This is the same as the average price over the last 12 months.

Reactor number two at the Olkiluoto nuclear power plant is still undergoing repairs but is expected to start up on Sunday at reduced power. Reactor number one at the Loviisa nuclear power plant is undergoing annual maintenance, which will end on Friday.

Wind energy production is expected to remain low on Thursday.

The economic and business daily Kauppalehti describes the electricity market as a “complex tangle” in which consumers themselves must reduce their energy consumption if they want to minimize their bills.

Kauppalehti writes that the construction of a weather-resistant power grid, the significant increase in the use of renewable energy and the decline in the use of fossil fuels have radically changed the electricity market.

The article predicts that fluctuations and spikes in electricity prices, both up and down, will continue to be a common occurrence in the coming years.

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Running a decent chamber

Helsingin Sanomat reports that parliamentary leaders intend to hold a serious discussion on debate etiquette.

The newspaper wrote that next Friday the Council of Speakers, a body consisting of the Speaker, deputy Speakers and committee chairmen, will meet with party leaders to discuss what interjections can be made from the floor during parliamentarians’ speeches.

The case came to light after an incident that took place at the end of last month. At that time, the opposition Social Democratic Party, Antti Lindtmanduring his speech in parliament, he criticized the government’s employment policy. As he briefly repeated his statement in Finland’s second national language, Swedish, a voice said, “Can we get it in Arabic too?”

“Swedish is our second national language and I ask that it also be respected in this room,” Lindtman replied.

The troublemaker was an MP from the Finns Party Jenna SimulaThe 35-year-old first-term MP from Oulu later stated that her exclamation was a reference to the recent news that Yle would broadcast news in Arabic and Somali.

HS points out that, in principle, an MP has broad freedom of speech and expression during plenary sessions. Under the Constitution, a member of parliament cannot be prosecuted for views expressed on the floor unless he or she is first censured by a five-sixths majority.

The constitution also states that a member of parliament is obliged to speak reasonably and with dignity, without offending others.

Simula has now told Helsingin Sanomat that she hopes her remark will not lead to a restriction on the type of comments that can be shouted in the room.

“I don’t think it makes sense for an MP to start thinking too much about every hate or comment. This would impoverish the debate,” Simula wrote in a text message to HS.

When asked by the newspaper what she would like to say to Swedish-speaking Finns who were offended by her interjection, she replied: “The interpretation is wrong, so Swedish-speaking people have no reason to worry about my complaining.”

It’s getting colder

Iltalehti informs readers that the weather will cool down dramatically this week.

Nighttime temperatures are forecast to be lower than usual for this time of year, with most parts of the country expected to drop to around freezing or below on Thursday and Friday, with likely even as low as -10C in Finnish Lapland.

Daytime temperatures will be between 8°C and 13°C in most parts of the country for the rest of the week.

On Thursday, snow will fall in central and northern Lapland, up to about 5 centimeters in places, as well as sleet.

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