By Enrique Tessieri
The True Finns should thank their historic victory on troubled countries like Greece, Ireland, Portugal as well as those embattled immigrants, refugees and their children that have had to put with the hostility of such parties. Maybe Timo Soini should thank globalization as well and the ever-increasing social inequality in our country for his victory.
When I started this blog in May 2007 I started to write about immigration and prejudice. The first critics that swarmed on my blog were steadfast about one matter: There was no racism or it was only a minor problem in Finland. These bloggers should take a look at Sunday’s result and what it means.
My hunch in 2007 was correct but it does not make me happy. I would have wanted to have been proven wrong: bigotry and far-right populism are an issue in this country.
With 100% of the votes counted here are the final results: Kokoomus (20.4%/44 seats), Social Democrats (19.1%/42), True Finns (19.0%/39), Center Party (15.8%/35), Leftwing Alliance (8.1%/14), Greens (7.2%/10), Swedish People’s Party (4.3%/9), Christian Democrats (4.0%/6), and ÅS (0.4%/1).
In Finland the party that wins the election forms government. In this case it is Kokoomus.
No longer a tea party and insignificant. Their rise and success has a lot to do with the failures of the previous government especially in terms of their immigration policy and hopefully now whoever ends up in the coalition will take note and react for the better. The people have spoken emphatically and can no longer be ignored. Well done Finland!
Klay, you forget that the “people ” are not all those that voted for the True Finns.
You lose, democracy wins 🙂
Yes, Paavo, true, the majority of Finns still vote for Kokoomus, Social Democrats and the Center Party. But you knew that anyway, right?
WOW! Just heard the updated results. Prime Minister Timo Soini?
–WOW! Just heard the updated results. Prime Minister Timo Soini?
Sorry to disappoint you, Klay.
I just decided to move out of Finland.
Yeah right xyz? Where to, Iran?
Klay, why are you so rude? So have you found a job in Finland?
Nope to a German speaking country permanently or Ireland for a while.
If Klay finds a job in Finland (not cleaner etc.) I will invite him for a drink 🙂
Ha I havn’t looked yet, but my Finnish is getting better every week. I first need to Finish my studies first hopefully in September then start looking.
I don’t get it xyz are you seriously moving out of Finland because of an election? I thought you already found a job?
yep, I found a job but lost it after 2 months…and I am happy that I lost it. Worst 2 months in my life.
by the way, one of my friends who took this intensive Finnish course and worked 3 years in a job sponsored by the labor office in Finland found a job in London last week. Now he is working for a real salary 🙂
Higher salary in London or lower salary in Helsinki? I know which one I would choose and I live in London. A better quality of life is priceless.
Yeah, if you prefer to live unemployed…might be nice for a couple of months…but then you will become crazy.
Enrique, is that you getting a hug? You need one. *hug*
http://www.iltalehti.fi/vaalit/2011041713566018_vl.shtml
Allan Beck, you are funny. Not me unless my name is Sesar Williams. Maybe Halla-aho needs a good hug from a guy like Sesar.
Hey, talking about “prejudice” – Jani Toivola got in. Newspapers are being racist though as they are pointing at his skin color as if it would matter. “Finland got its first black (and gay) MP”. Well gay isn’t anything new, and Toivola isn’t an “immigrant”, but Finland had its first immigrant MP in 1946 so that would not have been anything new either. Even though he is a “celebrity” I think he is better than a few of the political “chicken farm” candidates.
Though its a pity J.Kasvi dropped out and he was the only Green with any kind of idea about modern technology. Shame about Nasima Razminyar too, she would have been much more of an aware young woman they need than Ms. Lipponen who seems to be out of it all. And the Kokoomus poster girl Fatberdhe Hetemaj made a bit of a foot-in-mouth when she was asked about the next step. Not a good choice of words.
Good for Jani Toivola. By the way Allan there is a very good speech by Martin Luther King in 1963. You probabaly know it: I have a dream. One King’s dream was to live in a society where his four children would be judged by their character not their skin color.
Next Step is cool. Börje Matsson has done a lot.
What I don’t understand, Allan, is where are you going with all this? What is your point?
Kokoomus Yougs have similar immigration policy as True Finns.
Kokoomus Yougs don’t want Turkey to EU.
What is *your* point Enrique? You didn’t even run for Parliament – what stopped you? I’d thought you’d jumped at the opportunity to oppose Halla-aho and his cronies?
–What is *your* point Enrique?
My point is what I write so I can take part in the ongoing debate and, naturally, meet people like you.
After so many years of worrying about the lefties and the Communists taking over Finland, what a relief that the right-wing is speaking up! Russia won’t go away, but maybe the sick thinking that produces the red-commie-brain can finally die out and leave Finland unpoisoned. As for racism, the Russians were at the top (regardless of their Commie leaders’ propaganda) for racial intolerance, as I witnessed in travelling there, plus in the other East Bloc nations, during the 1980’s. Right or left perhaps is not the determining factor in predicting racism. The Hutus and the Tutsis were of the same skin color, but the differences in two peoples are evident to those who live amongst them. The various Native American tribes of North America practiced warfare, slaughter and slavery for thousands of years, considering a neighboring tribe inferior a natural instinct for self-preservation.
That the Finns have a racial identity is a tribute to their strong nation and their future. But usually, racial identity involves what person is NOT. “Black pride” in USA, for example, means NOT WHITE (never mind Chinese, Mexican, etc…they don’t even count to the blacks intent on their own race!) Do minorities anywhere in this world have the right to celebrate and champion their own people, facial features and skin color, or language and ethnic pride? If so, does it exclude any other group automatically? I daresay it does, almost always.
Are there “black pride” groups in Finland now, amongst the Somalis? Are such groups illegal, being racist?