Eand one of the most right-wing governments ever, as the new Finnish government was baptized last June. Finland’s largest party, the liberal-conservative NCP, entered into a coalition with the radical right-wing The Finns, a party that, with its anti-immigration positions, its plea for a departure from the EU and its call for voters to ‘take Finland back’ choose’ has many similarities with the PVV. The Finns also have a party leader who has been convicted; Jussi Halla-aho, now Speaker of the Finnish Parliament, was convicted of hate speech in 2012. He had claimed, among other things, that Somalis have a special gene that makes them more likely to steal.
The Finns, then called True Finns, had already been in government between 2015 and 2019, but then almost collapsed due to a party split between moderates and advocates of a more radical course. Under the leadership of Halla-aho, the right-wing camp won. This tightening was rewarded in last year’s elections: the party became second in the country with 20.1 percent.
With their participation in the coalition, in which the Christian Democrats and the Swedish People’s Party participate in addition to the NCP, the Finns fulfill a pioneering role. They are one of the few radical right parties in Europe that are part of a government. Perhaps the PVV will soon follow their example. What does that look like in Finland, with a radical right at the helm?
About the author
Jeroen Visser is a correspondent for Scandinavia and Finland de Volkskrant. He lives in Stockholm. Previously he was Southeast Asia correspondent.
Hard cuts and anti-union
Although radical right parties often present themselves as economically left-wing, the new Finnish government is the opposite. The coalition cut government spending by 6 billion euros and a further 3 billion in April. The push for austerity originally came mainly from the liberal-conservative NCP, but in the current coalition it is Finnish leader Riikka Purra who, as Minister of Finance, passionately defends the operation.
It is also striking how the coalition is on a collision course with the unions. In an effort to make Finland more competitive, the coalition wants to cut unemployment benefits, limit sick leave and curtail the right to strike. This year the conflict led to weeks of massive strikes. According to Antti Ronkainen, political scientist at the University of Helsinki, there is a ‘Thatcherian turn’ among the Finns, a reference to British former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who also made significant cuts. ‘The Finns used to be more left-wing on economic matters, but since the party split in 2017, the party has turned to the right on this subject. In every interview, Purra now emphasizes how much austerity is necessary and how the welfare state has expanded too much.’
Immigration
A strict anti-immigration policy is the hallmark of the Finns. In the election manifesto, the party calls the policy of the past thirty years ‘a major failure’. The language is roughly the same as in the PVV’s election manifesto. ‘Finnish children have to go to moldy and poorly ventilated schools and wages for Finnish workers are no longer sufficient, while migrants comfortably enjoy benefits.’
It is therefore not surprising that the Finnish government is going to tighten the rules. However, the applicable international agreements are followed. There is no question of an asylum freeze (PVV) or asylum crisis. According to the coalition agreement, Finnish asylum policy must be brought in line with that of the other Nordic countries. For example, just like in Denmark, it will not take five but eight years before someone with a residence permit can become a citizen. There will also be requirements for language proficiency, economic independence and ‘integrity’.
The coalition also wants refugees to only be able to bring their families over after two years, ‘to ensure the integration of the applicant’. Like the PVV, the Finns have given up an important crown jewel: an exit from the EU (‘Fixit’). That was necessary, says Salo Sanna, researcher at the Finnish Institute for International Affairs. ‘Coalition partner NCP has a large liberal and internationally oriented wing. In addition, the Finns themselves also realize that a Fixit is not popular after Brexit. It’s not a winning strategy right now.”
climate
While the PVV wants to put all climate measures through the shredder, the Finns mainly want moderation. The party also wants Finland to become climate neutral, but only in 2050 instead of 2035. 2035 has remained in the coalition agreement. The government is now talking about one clean deal instead of a green deal. For example, the construction of more nuclear power stations should help to achieve climate goals.
According to Markku Ollikainen, professor of environmental economics and chairman of the Finnish climate panel that advises the government, the Finns have not emerged as enemies of the green transition. For example, money has been made available for hydroelectric power stations, CO2storage and reducing greenhouse gases. On the other hand, measures were also reversed. For example, a budget was scrapped for municipal climate policy, agriculture was spared and the tax on petrol was reduced. According to Ollikainen, the Finns’ priority is on measures that citizens notice immediately. ‘The way to their hearts is through the price of fuel.’
Scandals
The participation of the Finns in government immediately pushed the government into a crisis, when old statements by new ministers were scrutinized by the national press. For example, Purra was discredited by old racist and xenophobic blogs and Minister of Economic Affairs Vilhelm Junnila had to resign after he made a Nazi joke. He had also said that abortions in Africa are a good way to combat climate change. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (NCP) saved the day by presenting a national anti-racism plan, including a school campaign.
