THE STORY WAS UPDATED
Perussuomalaiset (PS)* Minister of Economic Affairs VIlhelm Junnila was in office for just 11 days, making him one of the shortest-serving ministers in Finnish history. Junnila’s downfall is attributable to himself and his long trail of neo-Nazi sympathies and “jokes.”
The fact that the National Coalition Party (Kokoomus) went to bed with a radical-right party like the PS shows poor judgment. It also reveals Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s lack of leadership and his blind spot to the far right.
Even if opposition politics and activists may contribute to the eventual downfall of Orpo’s government in the months ahead, its biggest headache is itself as Junnila demonstrated.
One of these loose canons is Interior Minister Mari Rantanen, who continues to spread conspiracy theories like the great replacement. The theory is a deadly far-right ideology even warned by Supo, the Finnish Security Service.
Before the April general election, she wrote: “We mustn’t be so naive [naive in Finnish means being ‘blue-eyed’] that soon we won’t be blue-eyed.”
A nurse with police training and very xenophobic opinions, she continued to defend her claim on how Europe is changing ethnically before our eyes. Despite her claim, Rantanen has not shown us any statistical information backing her great replacement theory in Sweden, never mind Finland.
Rantanen tweets: 1/2 Regarding today’s news: I don’t believe in conspiracy theories (sic).
The statistical pressure placed on Europe’s population and the resulting demographic change is a fact. The consequences of immigration must also be discussed in this context without stigmatization.
2/2 Many would like to see a strong acceleration of [migrants to the country]. In the run-up to the [April] election, there were serious proposals to admit 1.4 million immigrants to Finland. The PS took a firm line and received a strong mandate from the Finns. In politics, it must be possible to raise objections for or against.
Mari Rantanen on Hommaforum, a far-right platform, liking in 2015 a comment where Social Democratic MP Nasima Zazmyar should be sent back to Afghanistan on a charter flight because she’s “a harmful migrant with a big H.”
It is outrageous how racist ministers like Rantanen have found a home in Prime Minister Orpo’s government.
I have asked PS chairperson Riikka Purra if non-Finns aren’t going to be eligible for social welfare, do they have to pay taxes?
Her silence in light of my question speaks volumes about the populism and stupidity of their policies. Ministers of parties like the PS will have a lot of growing up to do if they ever aspire to govern responsibly after trolling and offering 1+1=2 simplistic solutions to complex social problems.
Orpo’s government has already harmed Finland’s international image despite Junnila’s resignation.
The government is in chaos and it’s pretty certain that matters are going to continue getting messy.
