In November, data released by Finland’s Police University College indicated that reported hate crimes reached record levels in 2025, marking a significant increase compared with previous years. Police recorded a total of 1,808 suspected hate crime cases, representing a 13 per cent rise since 2023. While the majority of recorded incidents were motivated by racist hostility, with nearly 70 percent of reports linked to the victim’s ethnic or national background, the data also identified sexual orientation and gender identity as recurrent motivating factors (12% of the total cases reported).

In February, the Pirkanmaa District Court began hearing Finland’s first case linked to conversion practices. A man and woman from Pirkanmaa stand accused of assault against a single plaintiff, whom they reportedly met through religious activities. While providing conversion practices is not itself criminalised under Finnish law, the prosecution argues that the practices in this case amounted to assault as they can constitute psychological violence. In March, the accused were convicted for the assault charges.

In February, the Finnish Parliament’s Law Committee provisionally backed a citizens’ initiative to ban conversion practices. The Finns Party and Christian Democrats had previously stated that the ban would not advance during the electoral period due to a lack of consensus, and their representatives were believed to have voted against the initiative in committee. In March, the Finnish Parliament endorsed the initiative during its plenary session with 125 votes in favour and 49 against. Nonetheless, in late March, Justice Minister Leena Meri (Finns Party) announced that the proposed ban would not advance during the current government’s term, arguing that the Justice Ministry lacked the time and resources to prepare the necessary legislation. Meri also maintained that the issue required further study, stressing that the absence of consensus among governing parties complicated progress. The Christian Democrats, in particular, opposed criminalisation, citing concerns about restrictions on religious activities. Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo of the National Coalition Party echoed these comments, and by the end of 2025 the government had not introduced legislation to implement the ban,  leaving  the  initiative  stalled.Nonetheless, in November, MP Saara Hyrkkö (green party) submitted a motion to amend the criminal code to ban conversion practices. The motion was signed by over half of the MP’s across parliamentary groups

In March, Seta published its first Pride and Hate Crimes report, revealing that 2024 saw a record 56 Pride events in Finland, but 60% of them were targeted by hate crimes or harassment. Out of the Pride organisers surveyed, most described their events as peaceful, but 30 reported incidents ranging from stolen, torn, or burned rainbow flags and vandalised decorations, to egg throwing, threats, online harassment, and physical assaults. The report also highlighted that Prides were the most frequent site of hate crimes, followed by online spaces such as local Facebook groups. In addition, 42% of events faced political opposition, most frequently from the Finns Party, but also from figures in the Christian Democrats, Coalition Party, and Liike Nyt.

In June, research conducted by Queer Defense found that, in 2025, harassment and hostile language in everyday settings remain widespread, disproportionately affecting trans women, transfeminine people and lesbians. Many respondents described regular exposure to hostile attitudes in daily life, with verbal abuse, insults and the belittling of gender identity or sexual orientation identified as common forms of harm. The research underscores that discrimination against trans and queer individuals is frequently normalised and routine, manifesting through persistent low-level hostility that cumulatively undermines safety, dignity and social participation, even in the absence of overt physical violence.

In May, Finland joined 15 other EU member states in a declaration urging Hungary to revise legislative and constitutional amendments adopted in March and April 2025, which could impose fines on participants and organisers of LGBTI events, authorise the use of facial recognition software at such gatherings, and potentially allow bans on them. The declaration was initiated by the Netherlands and co-signed by Finland, Germany, France, Austria, Ireland, Portugal, Belgium, Luxembourg, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Denmark, Sweden, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

In February, the city council of Lahti voted to end the practice of raising the rainbow flag at city hall during Pride. The decision followed an initiative submitted in November 2023 by Liike Nyt councillor Jari Pykäläinen, who argued that the city should “emphasize a neutral line” by limiting flag-raising to official and established national flag days. The proposal received support from nearly all members of the National Coalition Party and several representatives of the Social Democratic Party, the council’s largest group.

Similarly, in November, an administrative court in Eastern Finland ruled on a complaint challenging a municipality’s decision to fly the rainbow flag during Pride celebrations. The complainants argued that the measure violated the principle of non-discrimination and the municipality’s flag policy.

The court dismissed the complaint, finding that flying the rainbow flag could be justified as an action to promote equality. It emphasised that advancing equality is a legal obligation for public authorities under non-discrimination legislation, and that the measure was consistent with this duty.

In June, the Parliamentary Rainbow Network and Seta organised a Pride Q&A session at Helsinki Pride house. The event featured members of parliament discussing current rainbow issues and included speeches from rainbow activists. Participants included network chair Elisa Gebhard (SDP), vice-chair Saara Hyrkkö (Green), Mai Kivelä (Left Alliance), Henrik Vuornos (National Coalition), Eeva Kärkkäinen (Centre) and Emma Ringbom (Swedish People’s Party).

In February, Finland’s Constitutional Law Committee gave the green light to the government’s proposal on compensation for private fertility treatments. The committee decided the bill could proceed through the ordinary legislative process without requiring changes. In March, the Finnish Parliament passed the law, approving reimbursements for private fertility treatments only when infertility is medically diagnosed, thereby excluding single women and same-sex couples unless eligibility is based on a diagnosed medical condition. The Social Democrats, the Left Alliance, and Green MP Bella Forsgrén issued a dissenting opinion, arguing the legislation failed to take into account diverse family structures.