Comment: Even if some may disagree with Social Democrat presidential hopeful Paavo Lipponen, you have to give him credit for his stand against the far right wing of the Perussuomalaset (PS) party. It’s too bad that there are too few politicians in Finland that have the courage to follow Lipponen’s example.
In the HBL story below, Lipponen does not directly blame the PS but the far-right faction of the party led by PS MP Jussi Halla-aho.
“A part (of the PS) wants to attack immigrants and the Swedish-speaking Finns,” he was quoted as saying. “I am of the opinion that the grand majority of Finns disagree with these extremists. We must actively challenge the far right (in Finland).”
Recently, two xenophobic associations, Suomen Sisu and Suomalaisuuden liitto, have challenged the role of Swedish-speaking Finns in the country. Many of the members of these associations are card-carrying PS members. Suomalaisuuden liitto chairman Sampo Terho is a PS EuroMP.
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Peter Buchert
– Jag stämplar inte Sannfinländarna som parti, men det finns högerextremister i partiet och Timo Soini måste vara tydlig mot dem, sade Lipponen på FSD-kongressen i går.