In 2011, when the Islamophobic and anti-EU Perussuomalaiset (PS)* party won 39 seats versus 5 in the previous election, did anyone foresee that we’d end up here? Wreaking havoc are Prme Minister Petteri Orpo’s National Coalition Party (NCP) and the PS with their two government coalition partners, the Swedish People’s Party and the Christian Democrats….
Search Results for: Mari Rantanen
Finland and its government stoop to a new human rights low
The right-wing government of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo wants Finland to enforce a pushback law that will deny refugees the right to asylum. According to legal experts contacted by Helsingin Sanomat, they cannot recall a case in which a law sent to parliament is so clearly in conflict with international treaties signed by Finland. The…
New Finnish naturalization laws will hit the country negatively
As Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s Perussuomalaiset (PS)* Interior Minister Mari Rantanen aims to tighten naturalization laws, the impact of such changes will knock Finland negatively. Rantanen said last year that not only will residence time rise from 5 to 8 years, but also a citizenship test will be given and a tougher language test. Europe…
The longest day of the Finnish government will come to an end
People had a saying in Argentina when de facto régimes called the shots by ousting democratically elected governments: No hay mal que dure cien años, the longest day must have its end. One matter that the new military rulers made you feel was weak and vulnerable. The saying would apply well to National Coalition Party…
Down Finland’s slippery slope of carelessness for human rights
Human rights ranked low in Finland during the Cold War (1944-1991). Perussuomalaiset (PS)* Interior Minister Mari Rantanen, a well-known xenophobe, is drafting legislation that would take Finlnad back to the Cold War, when Russians and other migrants were denied the right to asylum. In criticizing government plans to pushback asylum seekers at the Finnish-Russian border,…
The Russian community of Finland fears for its civil rights
Very rarely does the Finnish media approach a member of the Russian community to ask their views about news that impacts them. A good example is during the presidential debates when asked if the candidates would be ready to take away Finnish citizenship from Russians retroactively. Katja Marova is a dual citizen of Russia and…
Iraqi family awaiting possible deportation
. At the end of December, an Iraqi family received news from the police that they’d be deported to Iraq in about two weeks. After many rejections for asylum by the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) after living in Finland for eight years, it was the first time they had been hit with a deportation order….
Donald Tusk is a ray of hope exposing Europe’s far-right slumber
As Finland plans to open two of its eight border crossing points Thursday, Interior Minister Mari Rantanen was busy on A-studio spreading her usual bravado and get-tough-on-migrant soundbites earmarked principally for the Perussuomalaiset (PS)* party’s supporters. Rantanen has a funny habit of smiling after a difficult comment. According to her, some 900 asylum seekers were…
Close the Finnish-Russian border and leave everything to chance
I have always said that if there were another government, preferably without the National Coalition Party (NCP) and Perussuomalaiset (PS)*, the decision to shut the Russian-Finnish border would have some credibility. Source: X (formerly Twitter). The decision to close the border is first and foremost a political decision. It is a good way to shift…
Riikka Purra and the PS are desparate and fear being exposed for what they are: liars
Radical right Perussuoalaiset (PS)* chairperson, Riikka Purra, like Interior Minister Mari Rantanen, loathes Muslims and other minorities. Slamming and suggesting that Deputy Chancellor of Justice Mikko Puumalainen is a”liberal moron,” exposes her hatred and desperation. Purra, the one who said she’d shoot migrant youths on a train in 2008, now takes out her crystal ball…