UPDATE
The Finnish parliament passed Wednesday the extension of the pushback law until the end of 2026. The final vote was 168 in favor, 29 against and two absent, according to the Helsinki Times. The passage of the bill means that Finland will continue to flout internationtal law and its commitment to human rights. It will effectively mean that the Finnish-Russian border will remain closed.
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me three times, shame on both of us.
Stephen King
One matter is a near-sure way of getting support in Finland, and it is the threat of migration. Keijo Korhonen, a Center Party politician, made a name for himself in the 1980s by instilling fear that the fall of the USSR would force thousands of Russians to cross our border en masse.
Xenophobia and racism are potent components of the undercurrent of Finnish politics that has been recently exploited by the far-right Perussuomalaiset (PS)* party. Anti-immigration was such a powerful topic that it handed the PS its historic win in 2011, when it saw the number of MPs rise to 39 from 5 previously.
In every general election after 2011, the PS has capitalized and done well thanks to their pet theme and message: the threat of migration.
On Wednesday, Parliament will vote for a continuation of the pushback law until the end of 2026, which effectively suspends the human right of seeking asylum.
The fear of migration, especially Muslims, is the fuel that the PS and government are using to get the extension of the pushback law across the finish line.
PS Interior Minister Mari Rantanen and the government have defended the law, citing “national security.” They claim that our national security is under threat, but they have not brought any evidence because it is a secret. But here is the question: How can you trust a xenophobic government and politicians who capitalize on racism? It’s like trusting the pyromaniac to put out a fire.
I have called the pushback law a farce and a lie to satisfy the political wet dreams of the PS.
It is shameful that parties like the Social Democrats, who should know better, with the majority supporting the bill that has caused damage to Finland’s international image and made us less secure.
