Municipal Elections Platform 2025

Tampere – a good city for all, not for the few

The Left Alliance of Tampere wants Tampere to be fair, equal and ecologically sustainable. Equal and high-quality schooling, diverse cultural offerings and an urban environment that takes both people and nature into account make Tampere a pleasant city for all.

The City of Tampere is also a significant employer that should operate in a way to strengthen employment and support entrepreneurship. Financial management needs to be carried out responsibly and transparently, and we must strive to increase democracy in decision-making. Equality is the foundation for everything.

Our members have drafted this municipal elections platform during the autumn of 2024 to reflect the Left Alliance’s most important goals for bettering our city.

Table of contents

1. Education needs to be equal and recognise individual backgrounds

The Left Alliance wants to prioritize children’s rights over short-sighted economic savings. We stand for ensuring enough resources for public early childhood education and care and basic education and want everyone to have equal study opportunities. Investing in preventive work and support services prevents marginalization among children and young people.

Early childhood education and care is a decisive stage in education for an individual’s learning capabilities and affects a child’s whole life. It evens out differences stemming from family backgrounds, supports a child’s growth and development, promotes equality in education and reduces differences in welfare. The most important factors from the children’s perspective in early childhood education and care are small group sizes, safe and high-quality care and research-based pedagogy. The key to high-quality early childhood education and care is professional and educated permanent staff.

The Finnish compulsory basic education has proven effective, although learning results have started to differentiate during the 2000s. Learning is increasingly affected by parents’ educational background as well as geographic and gender differences. This differentiation in development can be stopped in Tampere by curbing class sizes, focusing on schools in all residential areas as well as investing in learning materials, facilities and the well-being and sufficiency of school staff.

Children and young people’s individual backgrounds and needs must be recognised and given space in education. Schools must be provided with the means to respond to individual learning difficulties and functional challenges. Equality between pupils should be promoted by offering gender-sensitive education and by ensuring sufficient resources for the education of and support services for children with immigrant backgrounds.

The Left Alliance wants Tampere to be a student-friendly city with reasonably priced housing as well as generally a reasonable cost of living, where people will want to stay even after graduating. A city where young people can settle and feel at home, where students are listened to and where self-motivated activity is possible. In Tampere, you may study to as high a level as you wish.

1.      Common goals for all levels of education

In our Tampere…

  • Teaching facilities are designed with the learners in mind. The maximum sizes of daycare centres and schools are carefully considered, and classrooms are designed based on the best pedagogical and psychological expertise. Schoolyards have sufficient greenery, shade and things to do. Children and young people are involved in the design work and their feedback is taken into account throughout the lifecycle of the building.
  • The city invests in healthy learning spaces. Maintaining learning facilities and fixing indoor air quality issues are prioritized in the city’s investments, while investments are also made into ensuring that facilities are functional, safe and healthy. Environmental health inspections are carried out with sufficient frequency. More responsibility for construction quality is assigned to developers and main contractors.
  • Digitalisation is a tool, not the end goal. Pedagogy is the driving force behind using different kinds of tools. The city ensures good IT practices in schools by planning hardware and software procurements for educational use together with teachers. The criteria favour open-source software.
  • Students’ needs are considered when choosing teaching materials. Schools ensure that all students have the hardware, books and other materials they need. Special needs are taken into account by, for example, offering plain language materials when needed.
  • Every student has the right to their first language. This right is supported by offering students remedial language teaching on their first language as well as the possibility for remedial teaching on other subjects in their first language. Multilingual and multicultural staff are hired for early childhood education and care, preparatory education and primary and lower secondary education.
  • Participation is ensured for linguistic minorities. Pupils from linguistic minorities are involved and their needs taken into account when procuring and developing teaching materials. Language assistants are recruited as necessary, as are interpreters for parents’ evenings. Teaching of Finnish as a second language is increased.
  • The city systematically coordinates and develops sexuality education. Practices are standardized so that every pupil in Tampere receives sexuality education of equal high quality. Sexuality education is seen as one part of a broad effort towards equality that includes promoting human and sexual rights, minorities’ rights, acknowledging the diversity of gender and sexuality, and promoting the importance of consent. The city ensures the subject matter expertise of the people offering sexuality education and creates a plan of action for reaching these goals.
  • Environmental education is a part of everyday life. The environment is involved in many ways in education, especially in the pre-school and basic education levels.  Activities in nature are intertwined into everyday teaching, with the aim of creating a deep and intrinsically valued relation to nature. Environmental education makes use of nature schools, national resources and collaboration with organizations.

2.    Early childhood education and care

In our Tampere…

  • Early childhood education and care is free of charge for all children.
  • Early childhood education and care is of equal quality everywhere. Resources are directed to the daycare centres that need them the most. Special attention is paid to supporting children from linguistic minorities and children with learning difficulties.
  • Early childhood education and care must not be business. Instead of more service voucher daycare, the city provides a larger part of early childhood education and careservices itself to ensure reliability and equality. The quality of all service providers is assessed regularly and transparently.
  • Early childhood education and care services are always nearby. A comprehensive service network is maintained, and children are offered daycare near their homes.
  • The management of early childhood education and care is of high quality. Management partnerships are further developed, and the number of employees per manager is kept on a reasonable level. Early childhood education teachers’ and day care workers’ expertise is recognised, and their further training is supported.

3.    Primary and lower secondary education

In our Tampere…

  • Basic education is equally good everywhere. Regional equality is promoted by offering extra funding for schools with an above-average need for problem-solving.
  • Class sizes are kept in check. In basic education, a teacher can be responsible for a maximum of 20 pupils. The younger the children are, the smaller the number that a teacher can be responsible for. Pupils with special needs are taken into account.
  • Violence in schools is effectively intervened in. Teachers, youth workers and teaching assistants are trained to recognize different forms of bullying. They are given the resources and support needed to notice power imbalances and harassment towards minorities and to intervene in time.
  • Pupil welfare and support services meet the pupils’ needs. The city works actively together with the Wellbeing Services County of Pirkanmaa to strengthen conditions for pupil welfare so that all pupils can get the support they need close by and in time.
  • Schools’ morning and afternoon activities are available to all. The city does not charge low-income families for club activities.
  • The leftover food from daycare centres and schools is put to good use. The food is donated as food aid or sold to members of daycare and school communities.

4.   Tampere for students

In our Tampere…

  • Young people’s and students’ voices are heard. Young people’s participation is supported, and democracy is promoted in schools and higher education. All young people and students are heard when preparing decisions affecting them. The city sees students and educational institutions as valuable partners whose opinions also matter in urban planning.
  • Everyone has a place to study after basic education. All young people who have finished their basic education are offered a place to study in either upper secondary education or preparatory education.
  • Vocational education is the pride of Tampere. In vocational education, the amount of contact teaching is increased, and workplace learning is developed by providing teachers with resources be involved in workplace tutoring. The responsibility for teaching a student cannot fall solely on the company opening their doors to trainees.
  • Student health services promote student welfare. The city works closely together with school and student healthcare service providers, and different providers can guide students to each other’s services.
  • Obstacles and accessibility issues in education are tackled systematically. Study environments are made accessible, and schools and campuses have gender-neutral toilets and changing rooms. Accessibility to education is increased in the city by offering versatile ways for people to study and obtain qualifications in different life situations.
  • Tampere Universities are a democratic and respected institution. As one of the founding members of the foundation university, the city of Tampere supports democracy in higher education and defends the university’s academic independence and autonomy. The university and the university of applied sciences are important partners to the city.
  • Liberal adult education flourishes for people of all ages. Course fees are reasonable and course offerings diverse.

2. Valuable free time

Art and culture make this a living, beautiful and significant city. To us, they have intrinsic value, add meaning to life, provide channels for self-expression, broaden thinking and belong to everyone. We wish for everyone to have the means to create and experience art and culture and be able to exercise regardless of income or where they live. Like art and culture, exercise and sports affect communities in many ways and are an important part of life in a city. With the following measures we can make Tampere into an even more lively, beautiful and meaningful city where art, culture and exercise are for us all.

When it comes to art and culture, it is important to emphasise approaches that promote equality. Taking different backgrounds, identities and needs into account makes it possible for everyone partake in and enjoy art. Art must be accessible and available everywhere in people’s everyday life: in daycare centres, schools, official spaces, residential homes, hospitals, workplaces, bars, marketplaces and streets. Diverse free spaces enable non-commercial, independent art, and foster encounters between creators, audiences and art forms. Libraries are citizens’ living rooms where people can read, learn, meet others, and enjoy themselves. Accessible libraries are low-threshold spaces for all residents to meet and spend time with people.

The working-class culture of Tampere is a rich and diverse part of the city’s history. We can promote its visibility and appreciation in many ways. Art and culture are crucial to the city’s vitality and its residents’ well-being. They enrich our lives and offer opportunities for learning, growth and new experiences. That is why it is important that art and culture are accessible and parts of our everyday lives. Tampere must be determined in promoting these things.

Exercise is an important part of culture. Everyone should have the chance to exercise and do all sorts of sports regardless of their background, financial situation or physical limitations. An active and healthy way of life promotes residents’ well-being and extends their careers. Exercising near your home or workplace is ecological and saves time. Exercise is a source of joy, and it should be possible for everyone at reasonable costs in Tampere. Expensive leisure activities are one further form of inequality. The city must support affordable and accessible exercise opportunities for everyone, and the city’s own services can invite people to try new sports. Gyms, jogging tracks, public swimming pools, ski trails and other facilities must be in well maintained so that everyone can be active regardless of their functionality or life situation. Exercise needs to be accessible whether you have functional limitations or need to take care of children or other people.

1.      Accessible spaces and services for residents

In our Tampere…

  • Exercise and recreational services are guaranteed for those in vulnerable positions, such as the unemployed, refugees, undocumented people and others of limited means.
  • Exercise facilities have gender-neutral changing rooms, toilets and other spaces that also take into account the need for privacy (for example by offering private changing rooms in addition to group ones).
  • People from minority cultures can experience and partake in their own culture. Everyone has the right to practice the kind of culture they most identify with within the limits of Finnish legislation.
  • Sufficient support and consultation services are ensured especially for the most vulnerable population groups. The most vulnerable sections of the population (such as new arrivals to the country and undocumented people) are guaranteed access to sufficient support and consultation services.
  • Everyone is invited to take part in art and culture. This means, for example, creating accessible spaces so that everyone can participate. It also means diverse artistic and cultural offerings that reflect different experiences and points of view.
  • An all-encompassing approach to art and culture takes into account the effects of gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, disabilities and class, among other things. This helps us to better understand how different factors affect people’s opportunities to participate in and enjoy art.
  • High-quality music teaching is guaranteed. Music teaching requires new facilities, close cooperation and strong resources to enable music teaching all the way from early childhood to tertiary education.
  • Equality is promoted in sports and fitness services by offering gender-neutral changing rooms in addition to gendered group changing rooms. The city’s sports instructors are trained to provide safe instructing free from any kind of discrimination.
  • Good construction and lighting solutions ensure the safety in all exercise facilities. This ensures an accessible environment for all.
  • Accessibility is realized in all sports and fitness services, including beaches and hiking areas. The city can support people with disabilities by lending them Paralympics gear, for example.

2.    Art, culture and exercise in everyday life

In our Tampere…

  • Free and affordable events and spaces are supported so that it is as easy as possible to take part in leisure activities.
  • The middle-class norms of service and cultural offerings are challenged. We must remember that culture is more than just the classic understanding of Finnishness, take into account the multicultural population as well as the local culture of Tampere, and promote equal-minded attitudes towards different ways of spending one’s free time.
  • Education on and awareness of working-class culture is increased. Lectures, workshops and guided tours, for example, can improve people’s understanding on the history and significance of labour movements.
  • Independent cultural spaces are supported to ensure reasonable prices, safety, accessibility and proper maintenance. A free space for arts is established in Tampere where artists and other interested parties can create and experience art all year round.
  • The city offers cultural experiences in public spaces, bringing cultural events to urban spaces that are free and accessible to all. The city also promotes organising gigs and other events without age limits in the spaces it owns.
  • The city hires professionals in applied arts to support cultural well-being in cultural and exercise services and to organise open and inclusive cultural events.
  • The copyright-free parts of the City of Tampere’s art collections are digitized and put online. Virtual exhibitions allow people to enjoy rarely accessible art and support art education.
  • The accessibility of libraries is improved by adding self-service hours and extending opening hours on weekends.
  • The city increases the number of legal graffiti walls, and all underpass walls are free for artists to use.
  • The Percent for Art principle is applied to support art, meaning that at least one per cent of the budget spent on new and renovated buildings is used for art acquisitions.
  • Art and culture are present in all parts of the city. It is especially important to ensure opportunities for children and young people to get involved in art and culture. They are an important source of joy but also bring many other benefits.
  • The quality and accessibility of youth services are improved. The funding for youth work is increased. There are diverse youth spaces all around the city with modern equipment and sufficient resources.

3.    The city facilitates exercise and leisure activities

In our Tampere…

  • Everyone gets to exercise. The city offers free alternatives where necessary to ensure that everyone can take part in sports and exercise. In addition, high costs must not be an obstacle for children and young people to be active in their leisure time.
  • There are diverse sports and hobbies available. Everyone has the right to find a form of exercise right for them, whether that be team sports, dance, yoga or outdoor exercise in nature. Suitable facilities for para-athletics are guaranteed.
  • Differentiation among different parts of the city is prevented. Services are allocated to areas that need the most support.
  • Facilities for leisure time activities are expanded and developed involving their users. There must be enough spaces for hobbies around the city, and they must be accessible.
  • Sports clubs are supported by ensuring they can hire  enough time and space at sports facilities at reasonable costs. Other direct ways to support sports and exercise clubs are looked into. Clubs get many people of all ages, especially children and young people, to exercise in a very cost-effective way. The city must support their work in different sports on all levels, not forgetting para-athletics and adaptive physical activity.
  • Children and young people’s exercise is supported. Having limited means is not an obstacle to children and young people exercising.
  • Exercise facilities offer significant discounts to students, unemployed people and pensioners of all ages so that a low income level doesn’t prevent anyone from being active. People need to be able to buy affordable tickets or season passes to support the treatment of various illnesses.
  • Low-income residents’ everyday life is improved with an activity pass. Funding for the activity pass is secured, and the use and granting procedures are improved so that more people in need can receive one. The development work is based on the wishes of the target groups.
  • The city’s gyms and swimming pools are free to all residents. The city and partners also organize free trial events for different sports every year to help people find new hobbies.
  • Exercise facilities are built close to residential areas so that low-threshold facilities are easily accessible without travelling far. Outdoors exercise facilities are placed near playgrounds, for example.

3. Tampere is further developed with its people and nature in mind

The city of Tampere is the home of its residents. The Left Alliance wants Tampere to be a home where everyone can be happy and both people and nature are cared for. The Tampere of tomorrow is an eco-friendly community developed with the residents’ needs and the environment’s carrying capacity in mind.

The challenges in urban planning that Tampere will face in the near future are common to our society at large. Tampere must do its part to fight climate change and biodiversity loss, everyone has the right to a home, differentiation between neighbourhoods and residents must be prevented and residents’ sense of community and their involvement in the development of their surroundings must be strengthened.

Tampere faces a positive challenge; it is an attractive city with a constantly growing population. The Left Alliance wants the growing city to be a place where it is safe to live, easy to get around, pleasant to spend time and comfortable to work. In a good city, biologically diverse nature is never far, the built environment is beautiful, cultural history is cherished, necessary services are always close by, and life goes on smoothly.

The Tampere of tomorrow must also be prepared for changes. Adapting to climate change and preparing for extreme weather is not only wise but also regrettably necessary. Together we will make Tampere a safe and sustainable city where life is good!

1.      Tampere belongs to the people

In our Tampere…

  • Tampere is for everyone. Publicly owned services, spaces, buildings and production are kept public and taken care of. Encounters and cooperation between people must be the basis for urban design. Communal spaces where cultural events and other low-threshold activity can be organised must be established in various parts of the city.
  • The city belongs to the citizens. The city must have spaces for taking a breath and places to just sit down for a while. The streets and parks of the city are its residents’ front yard where everyone can enjoy their time. The commercialization of urban spaces must be checked by reserving spaces for communal culture and hanging out.
  • Everyone can find a home. Apartments of varying sizes must be constructed throughout the city for people in different life situations at a reasonable price. People needing specialized living services must be considered already during the planning phase. Rising homelessness must be taken into account in urban planning, and the city, together with the wellbeing services county, must do all it can to eradicate it. Supporting new kinds of home ownership models, such as housing cooperatives, is looked into.
  • Life is good in all neighbourhoods. Neighbourhoods must not be allowed to become more differentiated. Urban planning provides for all kinds of homes of varying prices and sizes all around the city for all citizens regardless of their life situation, background or wealth. Residential areas are systematically developed. The service network covers the whole city and services are close by or easily accessed by public transportation, by bicycle or on foot. Recycling is easy everywhere, and recycling points can be found within walking distance of every home.
  • Cultural history is made visible. The local cultural identity and different historical periods can be seen in the cityscape. New and complementary construction takes place respecting the old building stock and adapting to the surroundings. Old buildings should primarily be preserved with their function changed if needed instead of demolishing them. Favouring timber construction and eco-friendly technical solutions reduces the city’s carbon footprint and improves residential satisfaction.
  • We are prepared for the changing climate. A robust green environment strengthens the city in the face of new changes. It helps protect us from extreme weather, acts as a carbon sink and improves biodiversity. Parks, gardens, roadside trees, bodies of water and other green spaces both cool down homes and streets and decorate the cityscape and support residents’ well-being. Shading from the sun is added to school and daycare centre yards, and public spaces and means of transportation are equipped with cooling air conditioning.
  • The city is full of nature. The amount of greenery and canopy cover is increased significantly and rapidly. More deciduous trees that can endure changing and extreme weather are planted in yards, roadsides and open spaces. Large trees are only felled when absolutely necessary. Property owners are encouraged to construct green roofs and set up insect-friendly gardens. More green areas are constructed on city property. 
  • Nature is everyone’s right. Outdoor exercise and other ways to enjoy nature promote health and well-being, and everyone must have be able to experience nature. The city must ensure that parks and natural areas are found near all residents and that nature reserves and recreational areas are accessible.

2.    It is easy to get around in Tampere 

In our Tampere…

  • Different forms of transportation complement one another and living without a car is easy. Functional public transport is ensured when planning for new housing. The need for car ownership is also reduced by supporting the acquisition of shared cars by housing associations. The parking space requirements for housing construction are relaxed in areas with little need for private car use. Increasing the use of sustainable forms of transportation also reduces traffic congestion and makes driving smoother. The goal is to make moving within the city using different forms of transportation easy and efficient.
  • Moving around is easy and safe. Cyclist and pedestrian safety are emphasised when designing residential areas, and special attention is paid to children and the elderly. Urban environments are designed to be accessible, along with public and service transportation. Traffic safety is promoted by employing various traffic calming measures, such as narrowing roadways and adding speed bumps. Companies renting out electric scooters are required to promote the safety of their services and to efficiently monitor the parking of their scooters. Land use planning ensures that service traffic can reach commercial premises.
  • Reasonably priced public transport benefits everyone everywhere. The public transport network is expanded to also cover the parts of the city currently dependent on private car use, and especially cross-town routes are improved. The city bike system is expanded. The student discount is granted to all students and the pensioner discount to all pensioners regardless of age. Our long-term goal is to have free public transport. 
  • Public transport is developed ambitiously. Improving local train routes to nearby towns Increases welfare. The success story of the tramway is continued by expanding routes to new areas. Buses utilise new low-emission technology.
  • Pedestrians and cyclists are a central part of urban traffic. Traffic in the city centre is developed primarily with pedestrians and cyclists in mind. Pavements and cycle paths are better maintained during winter, and cycling is acknowledged as a sustainable and independent mode of transport all year round.

3.    Tampere is an eco-friendly city

In our Tampere…

  • All decision-making involves assessing the ecological impact. All of the city’s service sectors have trained, full-time environmental workers who assess the environmental effects of decisions and help their sectors become more ecological.
  • Energy production is environmentally friendly. The city moves gradually towards an energy system not based on burning materials and supports the recovery of carbon sink forests.
  • Construction supports a wise energy policy. Construction projects are energy efficient, and the city invests in renewable energy. Land and housing policy incentives offer support for energy efficient new construction and renovations as well as timber construction. Urban planning supports reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
  • The city aims for carbon neutral construction. Tampere’s carbon footprint is reduced by promoting circular economy and favouring low-emission building materials. Complementary building primarily utilises the existing building stock: old buildings are maintained and repaired, and new construction work makes use of elements and frame structures of old buildings.
  • Clear-cutting in city-owned forests is only carried out in exceptional circumstances. Areas in the city’s managed forests with special or potential natural value are mapped out and protected. The amount of protected forest area is increased, and forests and other natural environments are restored.
  • Nature gets to flourish. The city’s forests, green spaces and parks are well looked after. Buildings are not planned in natural areas used for recreational purposes. Old trees and natural environments are preserved in new residential areas as much as possible. Meadows, grassy areas and roadsides are maintained in a pollinator-friendly way. The biodiversity of recreational forest areas is maintained and improved. 
  • The natural environment is protected. The Kauppi-Niihama forest area is turned into a nationally significant, 820-hectare recreation and conservation area. 30 per cent of the land and water area of Tampere is turned into conservation areas in accordance with the EU and UN biodiversity goals. Filling up areas covered by water is avoided.
  • We are carbon neutral by 2030 at the latest. Tampere is committed to achieving carbon neutrality and work towards the goal is determined. Sufficient resources are reserved for following the city’s carbon neutrality road map. Carbon neutrality is pursued in ways that have positive effects on the residents’ equality and well-being.

4. Working towards improved employment

The City of Tampere has a significant role as an employer. Its actions can improve employment numbers and the conditions for entrepreneurship. Tampere must actively strive to reduce unemployment rates and improve working conditions.

The City of Tampere employs a broad range of people whose expertise ensures that the city’s services function as they should. The city must be a responsible employer whose employees can work safely and according to their values. Good employer policy also means sufficient resource allocation: when wages are good and there are enough employees to share the workload, the City of Tampere is an attractive employer.

As of 2025, municipalities are responsible for most of the services formerly handled by the Employment and Economic Development Offices. In Tampere, the responsibility for these services falls on the Tampere Region Employment Area, which includes Tampere and 16 other municipalities. This makes it easier to take local circumstances into account when organising employment services. It is necessary to guarantee sufficient resources to the employment area as it begins operating so that the services meet people’s needs. Services alone will not create more jobs, however: we need to work systematically to enable the creation of more jobs in Tampere.

Entrepreneurs play an important role in quality employment and economic policy. Entrepreneurship must be safe and services for entrepreneurs must be functional. Especially small business owners, self-employed people and new entrepreneurs need to be able to trust that they too can manage, find success and most importantly make a living off their own work in Tampere. The city can support setting up businesses, taking risks and developing activities. The export and employment potential, creativity and diversity of small and medium size businesses must be better utilised in Tampere – for all forms of enterprise.

1.      The City of Tampere is a good employer

In our Tampere…

  • The city’s employees are heard and trusted as experts on their work. Everyone is guaranteed participation in planning their work. Additional opportunities for employees to affect their working hours prolong the careers of people nearing retirement and prevent early retirement.
  • Management is of high quality. The city makes sure that management and leadership in its workplaces is professional and participatory. Management is supported by ensuring that managers do not have too many direct subordinates. The expertise of people in management positions is strengthened by offering further training.
  • The city supports the well-being and professional development of employees. In addition, the well-being of ageing employees is supported by job rotation and further training and by offering voluntary reduced working time.
  • The diversity of residents is taken into account during recruitment. Equality is promoted by, for example, anonymous recruitment where the identity of the applicant is not known before the interview phase.
  • Professional development does not depend on the activity of any one employee. Staff are actively offered research-based training. Training that promotes equality is especially invested in. This includes training on the diversity of gender and sexuality as well as on anti-racist work approaches.
  • Occupational health services take care of employees. An employee is entitled to occupational health care after three months of employment at the latest. Preventive occupational health care decreases expenses caused by sickness absenteeism and shows city employees that their health is a priority.
  • The city does not chain fixed-term contracts.
  • Wage equality is ensured. The city works towards closing the gender pay gap in female dominant jobs.
  • Language skill requirements match the job. Language skill requirements are not used to create needless obstacles to being employed by the city. The employer offers support in learning Finnish and other useful languages for the job and improves the functionality of multilingual work communities.

2.    Employment is improved people first

In our Tampere…

  • Unemployment is seen as a structural issue, not as the fault of the individual. Unemployed residents are offered services that match their situation, not bounced needlessly between services.
  • Employment rates rise by creating jobs. Tampere actively seeks investments that will create more jobs in the city. In addition to the private sector, the public and voluntary sectors are important employers that are attracted to Tampere by active measures and improving conditions for voluntary sector activity.
  • There is close cooperation between employment services, the wellbeing services county, the region’s education providers and employers. The city strives to make employment services locally accessible and connected to other public services.
  • The significance of self-motivated studying in employment-enhancing activities is reinforced. The offering of adult education providing qualifications is improved in both vocational and academic education.
  • Sufficient pay subsidies are ensured. Pay subsidies help people find work in the open labour market, provide work experience and increase a person’s income.
  • Work trials and rehabilitative work are not misused. People are directed to services according to their needs, not to clean up statistics. The effectiveness and cost efficiency of outsourced employment-enhancing services are actively monitored.
  • Every young person has a job or a place of study. Alternatively, young people must be guaranteed access to support services that promote rehabilitation or employment while taking their individual needs into account.

3. Tampere for entrepreneurs

In our Tampere…

  • The city attracts entrepreneurs. Our distinctive culture, diverse and high-quality education as well as services that improve the life of both entrepreneurs and employees attract new businesses and investments to Tampere.
  • Entrepreneurs are supported. The city offers businesses financial and debt counselling. In services and counselling, attention is paid to the entrepreneur’s well-being and ability to work. Sufficient education on business operations is also offered via degree programmes and individual courses.
  • Small business owners have a real chance at success. In Tampere, new enterprises, sole entrepreneurs and small businesses have a real chance at competing with bigger companies. This is supported by entrepreneur-friendly procurement, tendering and land policies as well as by services for entrepreneurs being provided in one place.
  • Every business can find a space to fit their needs. Whereas industry requires active land policy, creative fields need small and affordable spaces in order to thrive. The city actively monitors the needs of different fields and businesses of varying sizes, using flexible modes of operation to make sure Tampere has suitable spaces available for all.

5. Economy and decision-making for the people

The city’s finances must serve its people. That is why they must be managed responsibly and openly with long-term planning. In a growing city and a world increasingly prone to crisis, there is a constant need for investments and improved services. That is why the city must forget short-sighted economic austerity policies and instead pursue more revenue sources that make socially and ecologically sustainable policies possible.

Good administration and genuine opportunities for resident participation make handling common issues in Tampere transparent and democratic. People’s interest towards the city and its management grows when they are actively given opportunities to influence their own lives. Transparency in the actions of people in power increases citizens’ trust in politics. All decision-making must be democratic, open and in line with principles of good governance.

Promoting equality creates the basis for all decision-making. It must be a cross-cutting principle that is considered in decision-making as naturally as economic sustainability or good administrative principles. Tampere belongs to everyone, and political decision-makers must take responsibility for ensuring that. All residents must be treated equally by the city and its services, and gender, ethnic background, sexual orientation, disability, age and class are just some examples of factors that need to be considered.

1.      The city’s finances serve the people

In our Tampere…

  • Sustainable finances cannot be built without a steady revenue stream. The city’s finances are based on tax revenue, which will primarily be increased by investing in employment. The revenue gained from land use strengthens the city’s finances so that residents get to enjoy the fruits of this growth fairly. Service fees are kept as low as possible, and their effects are carefully assessed.
  • Adjusting spending cannot mean taking money away from our future. Economic balance is not seeked with cuts targeting children, young people or low-income citizens. The expertise of the city’s employees is key in improving the efficiency of city operations.
  • The consequences of financial decisions need to be properly assessed. During the budgeting process, the budget’s effects on the climate, environment, inequality, gender imbalances and children are assessed. The city uses the best research-based models, such as doughnut economics, to promote financial, social and ecological sustainability. Developments in artificial intelligence are utilised to expand information-based effect assessment to new spheres of operations.
  • What belongs to the city belongs to the citizens. The city’s assets, such as businesses and real property, are well looked after. No property that is productive, historically significant or that has to do with basic services is sold away, and no property is sold just to cover operating costs. Landed property can only be sold for exceptional reasons.
  • Basic services are not corporatised. Tampere has corporatised a significant number of key city operations, such as water management and property services. This trend is stopped, and the city makes sure that the companies that have already been founded remain under its ownership. The city refrains from outsourcing operations.
  • City-owned companies are managed openly and democratically. Companies owned by the city are required to make their decision-making more transparent to the public. The city’s goals for developing the companies are made public and ownership steering processes are carefully documented.
  • A growing city needs investments. The timing of investments is done with countercyclicality in mind, so that the city can keep the economy going during hard times. The city prioritises new construction and refurbishment projects that are important to its service network, as well as investments promoting carbon neutrality and strengthening biodiversity.
  • Public procurement is carried out responsibly. The city seeks ways to increase local employment using products and services procured through competitive tendering while still adhering to the Act on Public Procurement. Procurement processes must not needlessly place small businesses in a weaker position. Procurement criteria must be set to emphasise social and ecological sustainability and exclude companies or countries overlooking their human rights obligations.

2.    Strengthening democracy to build the Tampere of tomorrow

In our Tampere…

  • City administration is transparent and open. Decisions are not prepared during unofficial meetings. Instead of hiding preparatory documents, elected officials and residents are openly informed about decisions being prepared. Structural corruption can be prevented by training elected and municipal officials on regulated and ethically sound decision-making.
  • Residents’ opportunities to influence city matters is improved. Local democracy is reinforced, and power is brought closer to the people. Under-represented groups are listened to more and they are given more opportunities to influence matters affecting them. The Youth Council, the Disability Council, the Older People’s Council, the Immigrant Council and other such bodies representing residents are actively involved in decision-making. Feedback by user groups of municipal services is listened to and used in developing services.
  • The city’s decision-making toolbox includes democratic innovations such as participatory budgeting. The city actively develops new ways to listen to its residents. These ways should not disproportionately amplify the voices of the people already actively involved in political influencing but instead ensure influencing opportunities especially to under-represented groups.
  • Young people’s participation is promoted. The role of the Youth Council is clarified, and the city establishes processes that ensure that the Youth Council’s voice is heard on matters that affect young people. In addition to the Youth Council, young people are offered other opportunities to have an impact via youth work, schools, associations and the internet.
  • The city supports the activity of civic organisations. The city funds civic organisations operating within its area and offers reasonably priced spaces for their use. The city’s spaces are not closed to political organisations close to elections, instead equal use of the spaces is ensured in other ways.

3.    Equality requires action

In our Tampere…

  • Accessibility is about more than just walls, buildings and physical obstacles. It also includes taking into account things like sensory defensiveness and sensory disabilities as well as cognitive and linguistic accessibility. The city carefully surveys the accessibility of its spaces and services and improves their conditions. All city spaces and services have detailed and easy to find accessibility information, including information on any shortcomings.
  • Decision-making and services are anti-racist. The city’s employees and elected officials are provided training on anti-racism.
  • Freedom of religion is ensured in city services.
  • The city’s communication is accessible to all residents. The city of Tampere communicates in many languages, including sign language, and produces plain language communication. City services can be provided in the customer’s own language or interpreted into it as need be.
  •  The city’s services can be used and its communication followed regardless of digital competences or a lack of devices. There are other options to digital services.
  • Equality is promoted based on factual information. Carefully chosen metrics and multiple ways of gathering data are used to monitor how well equality is achieved in the city. Based on this information, measures are added to the municipal equity plan and their implementation is tracked.
  • The principles of a safer space are used in all operations. Everyone has the right to live their life safe from harassment and discrimination. To make this a reality, awareness is raised of the city’s new principles of a safer space. To enforce these principles, a clear process is formulated for intervening where there is non-compliance. There are working channels for reporting harassment and discrimination, and every report is taken seriously.
  • Decisions are made with human rights in mind. The city’s employees and elected officials are given training on human rights issues relevant to their duties. Awareness of human rights can be promoted and monitored through budgeting that is conscious of human rights, working together with marginalised groups and offering genuine participation opportunities for these groups.