Finland has been announced as the new co-chair of the Media Freedom Coalition, a global partnership of 51 countries working together to promote press freedom at home and abroad.
Finland begins its two-year term as co-chair alongside Germany, which became co-chair in January 2024.
Finland succeeds Estonia, which has been MFC co-chair since July 2023. Finland will officially take over the co-chair role on 1st July 2025.
Promoting freedom of the press is a priority for the Finnish Government, which ranks 5th on Reporters Without Borders’ World Press Freedom Index. In Finland’s view, media freedom is a key pillar of a democratic society and has an important role in contributing to comprehensive security. Issues related to media freedom are also high on the agenda of Finland’s Chairpersonship of the OSCE in 2025.
Elina Valtonen, Finland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, formally accepted the co-chairship from her Estonian counterpart, Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, at the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels on 23rd June 2025.
Foreign Minister of the Federal Republic of Germany Johann Wadephul was also present for the handover.
Minister Valtonen said: “Our co-chairmanship will focus on protecting journalists and improving media literacy and on broader issues related to global freedom of speech. It is a pleasure to work with Germany on these important themes.”
Minister Tsahkna said: “It has been a great honour for Estonia to co-chair the Media Freedom Coalition from July 2023 until June 2025. I wish to sincerely thank the Netherlands and Germany for the excellent cooperation during our joint chairmanships. The need to protect media freedom has never been more urgent, and we have been fighting globally for free and independent media both online and offline. Together with MFC member States and other important stakeholders, we have stood up for journalists at risk and defended the right to free and independent media globally. I warmly welcome Finland, a country with a strong record on media freedom, as a new co-chair of the Coalition. I am confident they will continue this vital work with determination and vision.”
Minister Wadephul said: “Protecting media freedom is protecting freedom itself. Without a free press, societies cannot be free. Thank you very much, Estonia, for being an outstanding partner and Co-Chair in the global fight for media freedom. Today more than ever, we need independent and courageous journalists that can report the facts to the world unimpededly and that can speak truth to power relentlessly. That is why we are very much looking forward to spearheading the work of the Media Freedom Coalition together with incoming Co-Chair and esteemed partner Finland.”
The Media Freedom Coalition was established in 2019 by co-founders the UK and Canada, and has since grown to 51 member countries from six continents. Member countries work together on a range of activities to protect media freedom around the world, such as diplomacy to support journalists at risk, the provision of emergency visas to journalists fleeing their country, and reforming laws to better protect journalists and media workers.
The Coalition’s latest annual report highlighted that the MFC has acted on 22 cases of journalists at risk during 2024, while embassies of MFC members had spoken out on a further 15 cases. The report also highlighted 123 actions by MFC member embassies around the world, such as visiting imprisoned journalists, providing funding, and organising events.
To do its work, the Coalition works closely with a group of the world’s leading press freedom and media support organisations (the Consultative Network), a group of leading lawyers and judges from around the world (the High Level Panel of Legal Experts on Media Freedom), and international organisations including UNESCO.
