The Protection Police, or Supo, will be transferred to the ministry directly under the head of the chancellery from the beginning of 2026.
The supervision of the security police and civilian intelligence will be transferred to the Ministry of the Interior’s head of office from the beginning of next year, the Ministry of the Interior informs. The national security unit that previously controlled supo will be abolished.
The unit to be abolished has dealt with issues related to national security and civilian intelligence as well as preparedness, preparedness, organizational security, risk management and cyber security.
The tasks are going to be distributed within the ministry in a new way,so that the control of Supo and civilian intelligence,and also other related tasks,will be placed directly under the head of the chancellery.
The Protection Police was transferred from the guidance of the Police Board to an agency under the Ministry of the Interior in 2016. now it is indeed being transferred again within the ministry. Photo: Jari Kovalainen / Yle
Disagreement Over Supo’s Placement: orpo and Rantanen Differ
Prime Minister Petteri orpo (National Coalition Party) and Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen (Finns Party) are at odds regarding the organizational placement of the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service (Supo). According to reporting from suomen Kuvalehti,Orpo has indicated a willingness to consider moving Supo to the Prime Minister’s Office. https://suomenkuvalehti.fi/politiikka-ja-talous/orpo-olisi-valmis-selvittamaan-uutta-sijoituspaikkaa-suojelupoliisille/?shared=1336668-7b90950e-4 However, Rantanen opposes removing supo from under the purview of the Ministry of the interior, as reported by Yle. https://yle.fi/a/74-20184721
Intelligence Oversight Commissioner Kimmo Hakonen weighed in on the debate in early December,stating on Politiikkaradio that differing views on Supo’s placement often stem from whether the agency is primarily viewed as a security service or an intelligence service.
Worth a look