Finnish MPs challenge extension of emergency migration law

Members of the Finnish Constitutional Law Committee have issued a split decision regarding the extension of the so-called ‘turnover law’ (käännytyslaki), an exceptional law designed to prevent instrumentalized migration. While the committee majority approved extending the law's validity until the end of 2028 with a 13–2 vote, two members filed a joint dissenting opinion.

MPs Johannes Yrttiaho of the Left Alliance and Krista Mikkonen of the Green League argue that the law violates the Finnish Constitution, EU law, and international human rights treaties. They contend that the measure cannot be legally processed as an exceptional law to bypass constitutional requirements.

Krista Mikkonen, a former Minister of the Interior, noted that while border security and hybrid threats from Russia are serious concerns, security measures must not compromise fundamental human rights. Johannes Yrttiaho further highlighted that the law has not been applied once during its current period of validity and argued that extending it for a total of 4.5 years across multiple parliamentary terms lacks sufficient justification.