The Time to Influence the Government Program Is Now – Focus on Party Program Preparation

The world around us is changing at an accelerating pace. Change and uncertainty have become permanent features. Understanding and anticipating the operating environment over the long term is more important than ever for political decision-makers, businesses, and other actors.

Parties have already begun preparing their goals and programs for the next parliamentary term. In the last three government program negotiations (Sipilä, Rinne, Orpo), the program of the winning prime minister’s party has served as the clear foundation for the government program, and the biggest reforms have come from the prime minister’s party and its pen. Influencing the government program is not a matter of chance. If we want to have an impact on the solutions that will be made in Finland during the next government term, the time to act is now.

Influencing the government program requires timing, a concise and well-founded message, broad knowledge of the political system, and extensive networks. Timing means recognizing when discussions are taking place and at what stage ideas can still be shaped. A message that comes too late is easily overlooked, no matter how well-founded it may be.

Secondly, the message must be concise and well-founded. In politics, time is limited and attention is fragmented. Therefore, an influencer must be able to summarize their message clearly, credibly, and concretely. A good message does not just describe the problem; it also offers a solution.

Thirdly, influencing requires broad knowledge of the political system. One must understand how parties build their programs, how decision-making progresses, and at what stage different actors can influence. This knowledge is not only about mastering structures but also about reading the political situation and identifying the right moments and people for influence.

Influence does not happen in a vacuum. It requires extensive networks that share information and, when necessary, move things forward. A wide network brings visibility and credibility, and it is built through long-term work.

Now is the time to be active, build connections, present solutions, and influence what kind of Finland we will have in the future. Politics happens where discussions take place. We must join those discussions immediately, not only after decisions have already been made.

Riina Nevamäki

The author is a Partner at Blic.