Finland has decided to delay its plan to move the country’s election system to Amazon Web Services (AWS), choosing instead to keep the platform on domestic servers for the time being. The decision comes after a review by the country’s Justice Ministry, which raised concerns about the changing global political environment and the importance of keeping critical election systems under national control.
According to official statements, Finland will continue using its own local infrastructure to run election-related technology at least until after the general election scheduled for April 2027. The government wants more time to evaluate the risks involved in hosting sensitive data on foreign cloud platforms.
The plan to shift the election system to Amazon’s cloud services was first approved in 2025 as part of a modernization effort. However, recent global political developments have led officials to reconsider whether relying on international technology providers is the right choice for important government systems.
The Justice Ministry said that the international situation has changed significantly over the past year, which made it necessary to review how the election platform should be hosted. Officials explained that protecting the reliability and security of elections is a top priority, and any technology used must meet strict national requirements.
The decision also reflects a wider discussion happening across Europe about digital independence. Several countries are now looking at ways to reduce dependence on foreign technology companies, especially when it comes to government data, security systems, and public services.
Experts say that while cloud platforms like Amazon Web Services offer strong performance and reliability, governments must carefully consider where sensitive information is stored and who controls the infrastructure. Keeping systems inside the country can provide more direct control, even if it requires higher costs or additional maintenance.
Finland has not completely cancelled the move to a cloud-based system. Instead, the government said a final decision about future election technology will be made later, after further evaluation of security, political, and technical factors.
For now, the country will continue operating its election platform on domestic servers to ensure stability and full control during the upcoming election cycle.
Source: International political and technology reports
