Helsinki Greens lose their way at 50, says professor

Helsinki’s Green League has strayed from its roots and now treats trees as an afterthought, according to Professor Mari Vaattovaara, as the party marks its 50th anniversary.

The Greens have grown from a small faction into a major force in city politics, though they recently slipped to third place in the city council. Vaattovaara argues the party has abandoned its original ideology, repeating a single urban development approach while no longer valuing trees.

At a recent celebration in Pasila’s locomotive depot, long-time Green MP Tuija Brax received a globe-shaped award for her service—an irony she acknowledged, having once vowed to leave politics if the party ever handed out such trophies. She has since stepped away.

Once the city’s second-largest party, the Greens now face internal and external criticism. A recent dispute saw the National Coalition Party protest when a plan to build six homes in Laajasalo’s Stansvik forest was blocked.

Deputy Mayor Shawn Huff, standing in for Reetta Vanhanen on parental leave, dismissed concerns about the party’s direction. He arrived at a meeting on the new car-free Kruunusillat bridge by city bike, shirtless, with a rainbow flag on his bag.

Other parties acknowledge the Greens’ influence. SDP’s Elisa Gebhard said the party struggles to balance urban growth with nature conservation, while the National Coalition’s Matias Pajula emphasized cross-party commitment to the city’s strategy.

Recent Green-backed policies include removing cars from Kaivokatu near the central station, expanding tram and bike lanes, phasing out coal plants, and protecting green spaces. The party also pushed for the Kruunusillat bridge, reserved for pedestrians, cyclists, and trams.