Finnish-Swedish relations
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Finnish-Swedish relations have a long history, due to the close relationship between Finland and Sweden. Particularly in Finland, the issue emerges in frequent exposés of Finnish history, and in motives for governmental proposals and actions as reported in Finnish news broadcasts in English or other foreign languages. In Sweden, this relationship is a recurrent important theme of 20th-century history, although maybe by most Swedes considered to be an issue of purely historical relevance now that both countries have been members of the European Union since 1995.
Due to the fact that the area that later became Finland was annexed by Sweden during the 13th century and was ruled by Swedish monarchs up until the early 19th century, Sweden was by the Finns often seen as the dominating and suppressive party in their relationship, especially with regard to the status of the Finnish language. Still, during the early 20th century, after Finland's freedom from Russian rule, much of the governmental administration and higher education was conducted according to old tradition in disproportionate amounts in Swedish.
During the the second world war Sweden, a neutral country in the conflict, supported Finland's cause to a certain but limited amount. After the war the Sweden had a clear head-start in the post-war economical development, much due to its neutrality in the war, making the Finnish-Swedish relationship similar to that of Finland and Estonia of today. Today the inequalities between the two countries can be seen as balanced, and the relations between the two countries be seen as equal and good.
