In a recent statement, Ben Zyskowicz, the longest-serving member of the Finnish parliament, expressed his irony over the sudden concern the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has shown towards Finland’s national debt. Zyskowicz pointed out that, after fifty years in parliament, he has never seen the SDP so alarmed about debt levels, which he believes is a positive sign of a political awakening one year before the parliamentary elections. He commended the SDP for this shift in perspective but remained skeptical about their ability to propose effective solutions to the debt crisis.

Zyskowicz emphasized that the current debt situation in Finland has been a long time in development and criticized the role that the SDP has played in contributing to the debt accumulation. He contrasted the approaches of the previous and the current governments, stating that while the former government was hesitant to cut back on existing expenditures during crises that required significant new investments, the current government led by Prime Minister Petteri Orpo appears to be facing similar challenges without repeating past mistakes.

This commentary comes at a crucial time as Finland approaches elections, where economic issues will likely be at the forefront. Zyskowicz’s remarks suggest that political accountability and past actions of the SDP could impact voters' perceptions as they consider the party's newfound urgency to address the debt issue.