Kemi seeks merger study with Simo and Keminmaa

Kemi’s city council has asked the Ministry of Finance to launch a study into merging the city with the municipalities of Simo and Keminmaa, Yle reports.

The move follows Kemi’s worsening financial situation. City manager Matti Ruotsalainen proposed the merger as a strategic solution last autumn, calling it a direct response to the city’s economic struggles.

A state-ordered municipal restructuring study can be initiated if a municipality’s financial position has significantly deteriorated, service provision is at risk, or regional functionality demands structural change. Such a study does not require the consent of the municipalities involved, nor does it guarantee a merger.

Even if the study recommends a merger, the municipalities retain the right to refuse, though the final decision rests with the government. Special municipal restructuring procedures—often called “crisis municipality” processes—have been used sparingly, typically in cases of severe financial distress.

Kemi’s council president Mikko Koivulehto (Left Alliance) framed the decision as a choice between acting now or risking a forced merger later under crisis conditions.