The government of National Coalition Party (NCP) Prime Minister Petteri Orpo looks like after a year like a wrecking ball of Finland’s social welfare state. We have already seen how his government actions have undermined the labor market, social welfare, and emboldened hostile migration policy. The next big step is the government’s plans to pass…
Tag: Social Democrats
Sweden’s nasty surprise comes home to roost
THE STORY WAS UPDATED Incumbent Social Democratic Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson conceded defeat in Sweden’s nail-biter election to the rightwing parties led by the far-right Sweden Democrats, reports The Guardian. The rightwing parties received 49.6% of the votes, with the left bloc securing 48.9%. If anything, it was a long overdue nasty surprise that permitted…
Social Democrats’ left-green bloc emerge as victors but so did the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats
Sweden’s center-left bloc led by the Social Democratic party is set for a narrow victory over right-wing opponents in today’s parliamentary election, according to Yle. The biggest upset was the dismal showing of the conservative Moderate party, which slipped into third place after the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats. In light of the boycott against the Sweden…
The election result Sunday will expose nasty things about Sweden and the Nordic region
Sweden will elect 349 MPs of the Riksdag (parliament) today, and the big question is how well the far-right Sweden Democrats will fare. According to various opinion polls, the Sweden Democrats are seen coming second after the Social Democrats. The biggest upset would be the Sweden Democrats doing better than the conservative Moderate party. Just like…
Denmark takes another shot of steroids for its xenophobia
Denmark, the Nordic region’s most Islamophobic country, plans to tighten (again) its immigration laws by deporting all foreigners who are handed prison sentences, according to DR of Denmark. DR writes that the government wants to introduce changes in the law so that any foreigner slapped with an unconditional prison sentence will be deported. “Today, a…
The Right to Live citizen’s initiative has over 50,000 signatures – parliament has a moral obligation to grant residence permits to undocumented migrants
The Right to Live (Lupa elää) citizen’s initiative passed through the 50,000 signatures barrier Friday. If passed by parliament, the initiative will grant four-year residence permits to undocumented migrants who came to Finland before January 1, 2017. The ministry of interior published its recommendations on what to do with some 3,000 undocumented migrants who came to Finland…
A depressing documentary on Denmark’s Islamophobia
The scariest matter that Thursday’s documentary revealed about one of Europe’s most Islamophobic countrie was how far racist discourse promoted by politicians could lead a country. In a standard pyramid of hate (see below), where genocide is the final outcome, the apex of Denmark’s pyramid of hate is deportation, and physical elimination of whole groups…
Leadership in promoting social equality and challenging racism will strengthen Prime Minister Sanna Marin’s government
I, if anyone, wishes Finland’s new prime minister, Sanna Marin, the best of luck and success. Someone asked me a while back what I thought about former Prime Minister Antti Rinne’s government and if it signalled major improvements and changes in immigration policy and in fighting racism. My answer was short: It all depends on…
A poll that that tells us that Finland will continue to be Islamophobic and weary of cultural diversity
An opinion poll and two results: how do young and older people vote and what does it say about the political future of Muslims and cultural diversity in Finland? For one, it suggests that matters will get worse before they improve.
Police superintendent of Finland: No need for repatriation agreement with Iraq, we can deport asylum seekers if we wish
This statement by Chief Superintendent Poutanen has a lot of Iraqi asylum seekers worried. It is then possible to force Iraqi asylum seekers who got a negative decision from the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) to go back to their country?