Finland’s responses to Brexit: seeking shelter while hedging against changing risks

Abstract

ABSTRACT Finland has been concerned about the political and security policy implications of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, not to mention the negative economic impact. The departure of the EU’s third-largest member state with its significant diplomatic and military assets has been described as a loss for EU foreign and security policy and as a rupture of European political cohesion. Drawing on the theoretical literature on small states and Europeanisation, this article investigates how Finland has responded to these challenges and the related risks. It is suggested that the post-Brexit political consolidation of the EU was a priority for Finnish government(s) as the increasingly turbulent global and regional environment yet again highlights the security-policy benefits of Finland’s EU membership. The analysis also points towards the further Europeanisation of Finnish foreign and security policy as a Brexit-related hedging strategy. Finland also sought to hedge against some of the perceived risks embedded in the changing political dynamics of the EU and, relatedly, the loss of a powerful northern political ally in major EU economic matters.