The Green Party congress convened in Turku on 24–25 May 2026 to adopt a new party programme. I submitted amendment proposal 36/Lavanti, which would have added the following sentence to the programme introduction: For the Greens, the market economy is a tool to effectively advance these goals. The proposal received strong support, but not enough votes to reach the introduction – the sentence was instead added to the economic section. I also gave a speech at the congress, reproduced in full below.
Esteemed party congress,
The market economy is one of humanity’s most powerful inventions. No other mechanism is as effective at allocating resources, whether services or goods, and it is time for us Greens to say this out loud.
After this government term, it should by now be clear to everyone that the National Coalition Party does not pursue market economics but accountant economics. The alternative is not the Left Alliance, which focuses mainly on opposing change and pursues socialism. Markets would not work better if we banned and regulated everything. The alternative is not the Social Democrats either, who would do everything the same as the National Coalition Party, but more fairly. If we want a market economy that takes externalities and sustainability into account, there is no better alternative than the Greens.
Voters clearly know this too. Even though the party’s communication focuses mainly on themes associated with the left, support has drained from us to parties further left. At the same time, growth comes mainly from the right and centre. In other words, people are now clearly looking for an alternative to the National Coalition Party. The best alternative is the Greens. Markets work best when pollution has a cost. When externalities are priced in. When competition is fair and money cannot buy a monopoly position. That is not ideology – it is common sense.
The market economy cannot of course be free of all regulation – but free of unfair competition. It is not the privilege of large corporations, but the opportunity for small and new businesses. It is not the pursuit of short-term profits, but long-term sustainable growth. When taxes are collected on harms, not on work. When markets are transparent and fair.
Let us raise the market economy to the introduction of our political programme – where it belongs, as I proposed in amendment 36/Lavanti.
We want a Finland where the economy grows, but nature is not destroyed. We want a Finland where innovations flourish, and monopolies do not dominate. We want a Finland where competition is fair and everyone can realise their potential.
This is our moment. Let us be the party that takes care of the economy and wellbeing.
Thank you.
Why are the Greens the true defenders of the market economy?
Green economic policy is built on three principles: harms have a cost, competition is fair, and markets are transparent. I have written about this in more detail previously: green economic policy requires a seat at the table. The market economy and sustainability are not opposites – they are two sides of the same coin. See also how AI changes the economics of public services and what that means for market development. All my writing on economics is in the economy category.
Frequently asked questions
Do the Greens support the market economy?
Yes. For the Greens, the market economy is the most effective known way to allocate resources – but only when externalities are priced in, competition is fair, and pollution has a cost. Markets do not work by themselves: they need rules that prevent monopolies and correct harms.
What did the Green Party congress 2026 decide on the market economy?
The 2026 Turku congress adopted a new party programme. Amendment proposal 36/Lavanti would have added a market economy statement to the programme introduction; it did not receive enough votes for the introduction, but the sentence "For the Greens, the market economy is a tool to effectively advance these goals" was added to the economic section.
How do the Greens differ from other parties on economic policy?
The Greens want to shift the tax burden from work to harms – pollution, overuse of natural resources, and abuse of monopoly positions would cost more. This differs from the National Coalition Party's budget-discipline focus and from the left's regulation and redistribution emphasis.
Why are the Greens the true defenders of the market economy?
Because green economic policy rests on three principles: harms have a price, competition is fair and markets are transparent. The National Coalition Party pursues accountant economics, the Left Alliance socialism and the SDP the same as the Coalition but fairer, so for a market economy that accounts for externalities there is no better option than the Greens.
Why switch to the Greens?
Voters are looking for an alternative to the National Coalition Party, and the Greens' growth comes from the right and the centre. In the Greens the market economy is free of unfair competition, an opportunity for small and new businesses, and long-term sustainable growth where taxes fall on harms, not on work.
Where can I read more about market-green economics?
In the post on the debt brake and green economic policy, the post on AI in the economics of public services, and the economy category. Amendment 36/Lavanti and the congress speech are in this post in full.
Other posts
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More Markets!
Five proposals that harness the market mechanism to solve problems in transport, urban space, public procurement, and land use.
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Stability Brings Investment, Erratic Policy Drives It Away
Google's €13 billion investment came from a functioning electricity market. A price cap would remove the price signal exactly when it is needed most.
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Green economic policy requires a seat at the table
Leaving the debt-brake agreement does not change the scale of fiscal adjustment — it removes the Greens from shaping how the adjustment is done.
