A good editorial by Helsingin Sanomat about how the radical-right Perussuomalaiset (PS)* is the only party against bringing labor migrants to Finland and the threat such intransigency implies for the country.
It writes: “When the PS refuses to accept [hard] facts, it no longer makes sense, even from a purely selfish point of view. And when the party suggests that Finland should learn from Japan’s population policy, it sounds downright desperate.”
Contrary to the three parliamentary elections of 2011, 2015, and 2019, the PS faces a dilemma: Will its xenophobic message carry and encourage voters to vote for the party? Being called the only party against labor migrants could be a liability that will cost the PS dearly in April.
Moreover, the political atmosphere has also changed thanks to Covid, economic uncertainty, graying of the Finnish population, and the war in Ukraine.
PS chairperson Riikka Purra is a rubber stamp of Jussi Halla-aho, who was convicted in 2012 for ethnic agitation and breaching the sanctity of religion. Purra believes in the old party strategy without anything new to offer: pour on the anti-immigration rhetoric because it will bring votes.
The last two elections were a disappointment for the PS in 2021 and a catastrophe in 2022.
Matters have changed, and beating the old xenophobic drum exposes a party that is badly out of touch with the times.
The final judge of that will be on April 2.
