Name:	Silja Borgarsdóttir Sandelin
Year of birth:	1985
Municipality:	Helsinki
Town:	Helsinki
Title:	Secretary General, Master of Political Science
Email:	silja@sfp.fi

Member in:

Silja
Borgarsdóttir Sandelin

Helsinki

"Helsinki – More Than Just a City"

My Helsinki is an open, forward-thinking, multilingual, safe, and international city where residents actively participate in decision-making. My political vision is shaped by a liberal mindset based on freedom, sustainability, openness, democracy, and equality. These values are more important than ever in a world where they increasingly face strong opposition.

Helsinki is growing, and with that growth comes the responsibility to ensure high-quality public services, sustainable urban development, and a strong sense of community.

That’s why I’m running for re-election to the Helsinki City Council. My focus is on:

- High-quality early childhood education and schools
- Ambitious climate policies and sustainable urban planning
- Accessible healthcare and dignified elderly care
- A city that works efficiently for its residents

As a second-term City Councilor and Vice Chair of the Swedish People’s Party (RKP), I work to make sure these priorities guide our city’s decisions.

Helsinki has the potential to be a leader in sustainable urban development and high-quality public services. To get there, we need smart decisions, long-term planning, and collaboration across sectors.

I look forward to continuing this work—with your support!

#StadinSilja

Important political topics

Forerunners in climate and the environment

An Ecologically Sustainable Helsinki

• Helsinki should be a leading climate city - its climate program needs to be more ambitious to meet its environmental goals.
• More and greener solutions for heating, construction, energy, and transport.
• More climate-smart food on the city's plates: support local food initiatives, urban farming, and sustainable procurement.
• Every person in Helsinki has the right to nearby nature: greener neighborhoods with easily accessible natural areas. Central Park must be preserved, not gradually reduced.
• Biodiversity matters in the city too - protect natural areas and safeguard sensitive environments.
• Helsinki must keep its archipelago clean! Land reclamation should be avoided, and cooperation with other Baltic Sea cities on environmental issues must increase.
• Public transport should be an attractive alternative - this requires reasonable prices and well-planned schedules.

Read more about our election platform ›

Children, Youth, and Families

A Socially Sustainable Helsinki

• Helsinki should be the happiest capital for the happiest people - the city should serve its residents.
• Access to services in one’s native language must improve, especially in healthcare and education.
• Elderly care must function properly: sufficient preventive services, home care, and high-quality service options.
• Good daycare and after-school activities promote equality - we must maintain the right to daycare with reasonable group sizes. Helsinki must invest in work environments to ensure skilled staff enjoy their jobs.
• Education prevents marginalization - primary education must be equal and provide children and young people with the best possible start in life. There must be enough secondary education places for all Helsinki residents, in both Swedish and Finnish.
• Youth mental health requires resources, including low-threshold services and early interventions.
• Sports should be for everyone! There should be sports services available to all residents, especially children and young people.
• Culture enhances well-being! A vibrant and diverse cultural scene enriches society and makes Helsinki a more enjoyable, dynamic, and attractive city.
• No room for racism and discrimination - our core values and fundamental rights are non-negotiable. We can welcome more refugees and must invest in integration through language education, employment, training, and community-building.

Read more about our election platform ›

Economy & Business

An Economically Sustainable Helsinki

• Helsinki should be a city of the future that attracts businesses, innovations, and a skilled workforce.
• More jobs and higher employment - active employment policies with a focus on youth employment.
• Welcome labor migration and invest in personalized integration solutions.
• The world’s smartest city: Promote innovation and forward-thinking through collaboration between the city, private sector, and universities, and increase study opportunities in the region.
• Helsinki has a high cost of living - do not raise municipal taxes.
• Pragmatic rather than polarized traffic policies: We need reasonable solutions for all forms of transport, whether walking, cycling, trams, or cars.
• When more streets are converted into pedestrian and cycling lanes, we must enable smooth access for cars via the city's service tunnels. A tunnel from the West Harbor to the Western Highway is also needed.
• Roadworks should not cause unnecessary disruptions - the city must ensure smooth and safe mobility even during construction.
• A vibrant city center and livable neighborhoods - the city needs an ambitious strategy to develop the downtown area while ensuring that all districts are attractive places to live.
• Housing in a pleasant environment: We need efficient solutions for public and light transport, along with greater focus on architecture and livability.
• Construction should not be unnecessarily difficult - or expensive. Costly and redundant regulations should be reviewed. In some cases, denser and taller buildings should be allowed to preserve green areas. More flexibility is needed for additional construction during renovations. The planning of Östersundom must move forward.

Read more about our election platform ›