Sometimes the biggest change doesn’t come from a new policy or project, but from changing how decisions are made in the first place, which is exactly what Finland has done. 

In 2023, the Finnish Government and the country’s six largest cities – Helsinki, Espoo, Tampere, Vantaa, Oulu and Turku – launched a new Strategic Alliance Model. The goal was to improve urban policy through fair partnerships between the state and cities. 

Together, these cities and their regions are home to almost half of Finland’s population and drive much of its economic growth. But until now, cooperation between national and local governments often happened in silos, or after decisions had already been made. This new model changes that. 

The Alliance was officially established in Spring 2024, but joint meetings between the six cities and national ministries began in Autumn 2023. From the start, the approach was intentionally inclusive. The mayors represent their cities in the meetings. Other ministries of the government attend the meetings according to the topics on the agenda.

To make sure the model is not just symbolic, a dedicated secretariat was created. It is chaired by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Labour and includes representatives from all six cities and the relevant ministries. The secretariat meets regularly, multiple times per month, with additional thematic working groups preparing activities and discussions.

Since mid-2023, this systematic dialogue with a principle of mutual respect has led to deepened understanding of the complexity of the challenges that cities face in their everyday work. For example, cities raised concerns about the shortage of early childhood care teachers, while also tackling long-term issues like segregation, digitalisation and labour availability. These topics are often too complex for either cities or national government to solve alone. 

One of the most important shifts the Alliance has enabled is a move from reactive policymaking to “ex-ante influence” – meaning cities are part of shaping policies before they are drafted, not just reacting after the fact. The Alliance has improved “the ability to allocate resources available most effectively in multi-level governance.” In practical terms, that means smarter spending, faster response to local needs and better alignment between national goals and local realities.

The Leader of the project is the Six Cities Network.  The Six Cities Network is comprised of the six largest cities in Finland: Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa, Tampere, Turku and Oulu. Some two million residents of Finland live in one of these six cities, representing over one-third of the country’s total population. The six largest cities are also home to over 40 per cent of Finnish jobs and produce 55 per cent of Finland’s gross domestic product.

This partnership has been positive and offers real benefits for citizens, including: 

·      More skilled workers in growing sectors 

·      Better access to childcare and early education 

·      Stronger local economies through business-friendly coordination 

·      Enhanced focus on research and innovation 

·      Cross-cutting policies that tackle segregation and inequality 

·      Greater flexibility for cities to adapt to local conditions 

All of these factors contribute to better services, smarter policy and more trust in public institutions. 

The fact that the Prime Minister chairs the group signals just how seriously the model is being taken at the highest political level. 

One of the most striking aspects of the Finnish model is its clear recognition that cities are not simply service providers but strategic partners. The Alliance is built on a shared strategic vision of cities’ role in sustainable growth and has created space to identify common challenges and find solutions together. 

These challenges include: 

• Shortages in skilled labour 
• Gaps in early childhood education 
• Urban segregation 
• The need for greater flexibility in city governance 
• By addressing these issues together, Finland is creating the conditions for long-term, nationwide resilience as well as tackling urban problems. 

Lessons learned

At its core, the Strategic Alliance is not just a new format for meetings. It’s a culture shift in Finnish governance. 

It reflects a belief that cities and the state are not rivals for power or resources, they are mutually dependent actors who must solve challenges together. It also reflects a commitment to respect, flexibility and shared ownership, principles that have become central to Finnish political culture and that are now embedded in this new alliance model. 

It is a model of how real change happens – through structure, clarity, commitment and trust. And in doing so, it offers a compelling example for other countries across Europe facing the same challenge of how to align national goals with local realities, and how to put partnership at the heart of progress. 

Transferability

So what makes this work in Finland – and could it work elsewhere? The answer lies in the clarity of purpose, the continuity of dialogue, and the cultural emphasis on respect. 

While every European country has its own way of governing, a dialogue between big cities and the government, along with the simple principles of flexible administration and joint problem-solving, can be a catalyst to improving communication and partnerships.” 

And the model is already gaining attention. The Alliance serves as a European example of functioning and active cooperation between the national government and the largest cities. This puts the principle of partnership into effect and creates meaningful impact.