Finland’s Latest Government Proposal: Give Every Citizen $14,000 a Year

Finland’s Latest Government Proposal: Give Every Citizen $14,000 a Year
Aris Messini/AFP/Getty Images
Zachary Stieber
Zachary Stieber
Senior Reporter
|Updated:

Finland’s latest government proposal is making the news around the world.

The proposal would scrap social welfare benefits and instead give every citizen, regardless of income levels, $1,187 (800 euros) a month tax-free.

The payment would replace all other packages and assistance.

The Finnish Social Insurance Institution is behind the plan to provide a basic income for everyone.

The basic income plan was supported by nearly 70 percent of the country’s population, according to a poll conducted in September.

Earlier this year, voters elected the country’s Centre party to a controlling position in the government. The party’s campaign supported the basic income, although voters from all parties seem to support the plan.

The full rollout of the new plan would be preceded by a pilot stage, reported Bloomberg citing Finnish media.

A homeless woman begs for money in the streets of Helsinki in this file photo. (Olivier Morin/AFP/Getty Images)
A homeless woman begs for money in the streets of Helsinki in this file photo. Olivier Morin/AFP/Getty Images
Zachary Stieber
Zachary Stieber
Senior Reporter
Zachary Stieber is a senior reporter for The Epoch Times based in Maryland. He covers U.S. and world news. Contact Zachary at [email protected]
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