Parliament Speaker Jussi Halla-aho has sharply criticised Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s decision to allocate €35 million to a sports venture linked to a party colleague. Halla-aho said the questions surrounding the decision are “extremely serious,” escalating the political pressure around the case.

The issue has now prompted Orpo to call on Finnish MPs to end their summer recess and return to discuss the allegations in Parliament. At this stage, the confirmed facts are limited to the funding decision and the speaker’s public criticism, while the broader political fallout is still unfolding.