Oulu city leadership dispute continues as court rules former official’s dismissal unlawful

The Administrative Court of Northern Finland has overturned the dismissal of Oulu’s former employment relations director, ruling the termination unlawful, according to a report by Kaleva newspaper.

The court found that the city’s decision to fire Mauri Mikkola in January 2025 lacked justification due to unreasonable delay. While the city cited a breach of loyalty—stemming from Mikkola’s police reports against several municipal leaders—police found no grounds for criminal charges in the allegations.

Key details in the case were known to the city as early as summer 2023, yet the dismissal was not carried out until early 2025. The Administrative Court did not assess the validity of the dismissal grounds themselves but based its ruling on the procedural delay, Kaleva reported.

The decision is not yet legally binding, leaving room for appeals to the Supreme Administrative Court. City Manager Ari Alatossava issued the original termination order.

Oulu has faced prolonged leadership conflicts, with previous disputes involving high-ranking officials.