Finland Clings to Happiness Crown as Economic Gloom Deepens

Juho-Pekka Palomaa, 33, sits on the steps in front of the Finnish parliament where he was holding a potluck protest to mark 1000 days of unemployment, in Helsinki, Finland, on Oct. 30, 2025. Tom Little/Reuters

HELSINKI--Harsh economic headwinds are sending a chill through the world’s happiest country. But after 1,000 days of unemployment, 33-year-old Juho-Pekka Palomaa hasn’t let Finland’s problems get him down just yet.

Finland is grappling with economic stagnation, rising joblessness and strained public finances, but still managed to secure the title of world’s happiest country for the eighth year in a row in this year’s annual World Happiness Report.