Fatbardhe Hetemaj is a promising National Coalition Party Helsinki city councilwoman who moved to Finland at the age of seven. Since people like Hetemaj are becoming more common in Finland as we become a more culturally and ethnically diverse society, it is important that they speak out against discrimination and promote tolerance and respect for…
Tag: Immigration debate
Finland’s distorted immigration debate is damaging our country
My son asked me Friday an interesting question that revealed what is wrong concerning the present debate on immigration and immigrants in Finland. He asked me to show how does immigration fuel economic growth. His question, which is a valid one, reveals some of the perceptions that some have about immigration. Due to the attention…
We welcome Finnish and Swedish on Migrant Tales
Some may ask why Migrant Tales ?is a blog written in the English language about Finnish immigration. The answer is simple: English would be an effective filter to keep out the more hostile Finns to immigration. Even so, I think that Migrant Tales can and should have more Finnish and Swedish.
Why don’t Finnish politicians challenge urban myths hard enough?
In Ireland, where the immigrant population has grown very rapidly in a span of ten years, there are concrete steps to address urban myths about migrants, refugees and Muslims. It appears that in Finland we are not challenging such urban myths but our politicians are running away from them.
YLE Turku: Malttia maahanmuuttokeskusteluun
Turussa toimivan Siirtolaisuusinstituutin johtaja Ismo Söderling toivoo, että puolueet välttäisivät kärjistyksiä siirtolaisuuskysymyksissä tulevien eduskuntavaalien alla. Puolueiden johtohenkilöiden olisi hyvä pitää pienimuotoinen Korpilampi-tapaaminen, jossa keskusteltaisiin avoimesti Suomen tulevista väestö- ja maahanmuuttohaasteista, ehdottaa Söderling.
Hyvä Homma: Suomalainen Unelma
Comment: The Green Party has started a rival website to Hommaforum called Hyvä Homma. It is supposed to be a forum where immigrants and refugees can give their point of view. This is an excellent idea considering that the overwhelming majority taking part in the ongoing debate are Finns and the True Finns with very…
Polls are polls in Finland
The recent rise of the anti-immigration True Finns in the polls should be taken with tweezers. Does it represent the will of the people and how much of it will translate into MPs for the True Finns in the April 2011 elections is another story.
Immigration reveals what Finnish political parties are made of
The political field is pretty lopsided in Finland these days: left-wing parties that were “progressive” in their approach to society have now become conservative and those that were on the “right” appear to be more open to the world. The immigration debate in Finland is showing the new ideological face of these political parties.