The Perussuomalaiset (PS)* are one of the worst surprises that Finland got after 2011. If the latest opinion poll is anything to go by, the nationalist populist party has returned to the minor political leagues, where it was originally from.
While it was relatively easy for the PS to increase its popularity in the opposition with the help of a complacent media and politicians that turned a blind eye, being in government has been a totally different story.
As the polls show, the PS has been a paper tiger all along that believed, after two parliamentary elections, in its self-deception and forget its campaign promises.
One of these continues to be an empty promise that they will fix the Somali and Muslim problem in Finland. Like many of its empty pledges, they never will.
The PS is like cheap fast food. It may taste good after the first bite but the impact on your health is devastating.
Timo Soini and the PS tried to show – and succeeded – with poker faces these past years to defy the laws of politics like gravity and create a political revolution with the help of anti-immigration and anti-EU rhetoric.
The PS took a risk by joining the coalition government and they near-destroyed themselves in the process. Not only did they cause great harm to themselves, they have put in harm’s way as well Prime Minister Juha Sipilä’s government and all of Finland.
Due to the PS’ serious woes, it may well be that we may have new elections as early as next spring.
Go to PS website here.
The failure of the PS not only has to do with its broken campaign promises but truth of the matter is that the party doesn’t have any credible plan on how to lift Finland from its lethargic economic situation except be a rubber stamp of the more experienced Center Party and National Coalition Party.
True, the PS have put in a lot of effort to assure their ever-diminishing supporters that they are tough on immigrants and asylum seekers and have been instrumental in getting the government to slash development aid by 43%.
Immigration isn’t Finland’s main problem by a mile. By slashing development aid the government shoots itself in the leg and encourages more poor Africans to come to Europe because those aid projects aren’t there anymore.
Take a look at what the PS considers “achievements” on its website and you’ll understand what’s wrong with them:
- Has cut subsidies to wind power
- Has tightened family reunification
- Has slashed development aid
- Is assessing the cost of immigration
- Defense spending was raised
Why are fossil fuels, forcing migrant parents and children to live apart, slashing development aid and raising defense spending so important and how will they help make us feel more secure?
The PS has already harmed Finland’s image abroad and polarized the country with its vengeful rhetoric.
It’s most bill to to Finland during these wretched years from 2011 has been the loss of a precious time.
* The Finnish name of the Finns Party is the Perussuomalaiset (PS). The English-language names adopted by the PS, like True Finns or Finns Party, promote in our opinion nativist nationalism and xenophobia. We therefore prefer to use the Finnish name of the party on our postings.