Contacts in the Nazi scene, racist SMS: Finland’s government is dealing with one scandal after the next. The reason for this is the right-wing coalition partner. Prime Minister Orpo tries to appease.
A minister with contacts in the Nazi scene and a deputy head of government who uses the N-word in a blog post: Since the party “The Finns” has been co-governing, the government has been dealing with one racism scandal after the next. The first economy minister had to leave office after only ten days – and there is already trouble about his successor: Wille Rydman had described people from the Middle East as monkeys in private text messages.
Despite this, conservative Prime Minister Petteri Orpo says there is no far-right party in the Finnish government. It is a “centrally conservative government,” according to Orpo. “And we will continue to work in the same way as they already know us all over the world and in Europe.”
Criticism with announcement?
All cases date back years, and those affected have apologized, argue Orpo and others. Nevertheless, many are wondering: How can such politicians become ministers in Finland? And shouldn’t the conservatives have known? If they did, says political scientist Ann-Cathrine Jungar from Södertörn University in Sweden.
Jungar observes a public discussion about the right-wing populists – it’s about “what kind of party it is and how it can be that you can have a party in the government that nominates ministers who have such skeletons in the closet”. It is not unknown that there are MPs who express themselves in an extreme way. “We also had contacts with extreme movements,” adds the political scientist.
Rights in Finland are considered a legitimate partner
Unlike the right-wing populists in Sweden, the right-wing in Finland has long been considered a legitimate coalition partner: from 2015, they were part of a centre-right government. When Jussi Halla-aho, who was convicted of incitement to hatred, was elected party leader two years later, the more moderate part of the right-wing populists split off. Jungar explains: “In 2017, the more radical part of the party prevailed. And that was possible thanks to the legitimacy that the party has historically had as the ruling party.”
Racism allegations also against deputy head of government
Halla-aho’s successor as party leader, Riikka Purra, is now deputy prime minister. There are also allegations of racism against them. In a blog post in 2008, she is said to have indirectly encouraged people to spit on beggars and hit black children.
Today Purra defends herself with the words: “15 years ago I was a private person with no political mandate. I discussed the problems with immigration as a citizen has the right to do so.” There is no problem with that. It’s clear that in her current role, she “doesn’t use words like these,” Purra said.
That doesn’t sound like remorse, agrees Finland expert Jungar. She questions whether the Finns’ party doesn’t have better ministers – ones who, she says, have fewer skeletons in the closet.
Or is it an explicit provocation, with which one wants to show: This is who we are and we stand for these values?
Racism not an issue at the party conference
At their party conference at the weekend, the right-wing populists see no reason to talk about racism: there are more important problems, party secretary Arto Luukkanen told Finnish radio. And this attitude puts Prime Minister Orpo under pressure. Because while he’s desperately trying to keep the government together, the right-wing populists don’t even see the problem. And voters are already punishing the alliance in opinion polls.
That hurts Orpo and his party in particular, says Jungar: “If the government collapses, the conservatives risk losing the newly won government power, and there could be a more left-wing government.” That’s why Jungar believes “that you’re trying to muddle through and get this situation under control”. The question is whether that will succeed – and what it means for the influence of the right in Finland.