National Coalition Party Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s government is drafting a new pushback law that permits Finland to subvert human rights, international law, and the rights enshrined in its constitution. Even if the law gets approval from parliament, it will not solve but worsen the problem at the Finnish-Russian border. Considering that Perussuomalaiset (PS)* Interior…
Tag: xenophobia
Being a Russian minority in an ever-hostile Finland
The Eastern Finnish cities of Joensuu, Imatra and Lappeenranta are aiming to shut down Russian-language schools which has led to an intense debate about the future of such institutions. While some argue about economic factors and lack of demand for the closure of such schools, others point the finger at anti-Russian and anti-foreign sentiment. Katja…
Finland sleepwalking into fascism
The new “pushback” law made public on Friday by the government shows the perilous human rights path of Finland. While the new law may pass in parliament, the question is what will the government do next to undermine Finland’s commitment to human rights. If the law is passed by a two-thirds majority, it is the…
Finland’s slippery slope
On Friday, the government revealed its plan to subvert our constitution, international agreements, and human rights by denying people escaping strife and poverty asylum. Even if the government does not use the term push back, it is exactly that: a law that allows Finland to deny and push back people seeking asylum. What is most…
Finland’s PM problematic recipe for moderating the far right
The story was updated If an interview of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo in Politico, he said the best way to moderate the far right is to invite them to rule and be a part of the government. What is significant by the interviews is that it is the first time that Orpo admits that 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…
Immigration is good, not as bad as the Finnish government claims
Since the 2011 parliamentary election, when the Perussuomalaiset(PS)* won 39 seats from five in the previous election, the PS has consolidated its power – with the help of other mainstream parties like the National Coalition Party (NCP) – by spreading fear and lies about migrants. Any sensible person understands that migration is a very powerful…
How Yle spreads and reinforces xenophobia with the help of stenography journalism
It is surprising that Finland’s national broadcaster, Yle, spreads xenophobia and suspicion of asylum seekers via its news reporting. Yle, never calls people attempting to enter Finland via the Finnish-Russian border asylum seekers but people who are attempting to enter the country illegally. The narrative spread by Yle reporters is a toothless stenographic copy of…
Stubb, Halla-aho, Harkimo, Essayah, Haavisto, Aaltola, and Rehn are ready to throw the civil rights of Finland’s Russian community under the bus
Reading the news about how Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s government plans to not comply with the right to seek asylum speaks volumes about Finland’s “R” problem. In many cases, the media, which acts more like a rubber stamp for the government on migration issues, is also part of the problem. It is sad to see…
New World Finn (2013):* Too little diversity
Finland is still far from regaining its former political composure afterthe April 2011 elections, which saw the right-wing populist Finns Partywin a historic election victory by becoming the country’s third-largestpolitical force in parliament after the National Coalition Party and the SocialDemocrats. Compared to the elections before 2011, the number of Finns PartyMPs rose from five…