Parliamentary elections are in April. How can I tell? When National Coalition Party (Kokoomus) politicians like MP Atte Kaleva spread lies and populist soundbites about migrants. Kaleva has a tough time stomaching criticism, and usually, his answers are knee-jerk reactions. One of these is when he charged Professor Panu Ratikiainen with defamation because he called
Read on »Posts Tagged: anti-immigration
MT Media Monitoring: HS interview with Riikka Purra and the PS’ pet topic, migration
Helsingin Sanomat published (paywall) Sunday an interview with Riikka Purra, the chairperson of the anti-immigration Perussuomalaiset (PS)* party. Helsingin Sanomat‘s veteran reporter, Marko Junkkari, did the interview. In general, Junkkari did a good job in handling Purra’s comments with facts and in no place in the interview did the PS chairperson dominate the interview with
Read on »Wille Rydman exposes Kokoomus’ hypocrisy and its racist politicians
I wonder if National Coalition Party (Kokoomus) MP Wille Rydman has ever heard of Florida Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz, who is under investigation for sexually abusing minors, among other crimes? Helsingin Sanomat exposed in a story Rydman of inappropriate behavior and abusing sexually minors Sunday. Like Gaetz, Rydman is in hot water and denies all
Read on »Why do some politicians, who know better, spread and feed us racism?
There is an old saying that goes something like this: I was a liberal in youth so I would not be a fascist in old age. What motivates a politician to twist and exaggerate facts to stigmatize migrants? National Coalition Party (Kokoomus) MP Heikki Vestman’s speech in parliament Wednesday is a prime example of how
Read on »Asylum seekers start indefinite demonstration in front of the Finnish Immigration Service
A group of present and former asylum seekers decided to hold an indefinite demonstration in front of Helsinki’s Finnish Immigration Service’s (Migri) on Thursday for better rights and security in Finland. Walid Sahib, one of the persons taking part in the demonstration, said that the most important matter is to raise awareness for the plight
Read on »Migrant Tales’ shameful “let them drown” list of Finnish MEP candidates
The Alma Median EU election compass shows that (85/234) MEP candidates of the Perussuomalaiset* and National Coalition Party as the most eager to allow migrants drown in the Mediterranean. Even a neutral, or no opinion answer, is problematic. Does it mean that you are quiet and look the other way when people drown?
Read on »The United States and Finland must stop incarcerating migrant children
One picture on the left shows how migrant children in the United States are being separated and incarcerated. On the right, is a picture taken in Finland last year of a minor looking out the window at the Joutseno immigration removal center.
Read on »QUOTE OF THE DAY: Of course a child needs a mother and father!
“In today’s Finland, it is nothing uncommon for the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) to reject family reunification by a Finnish spouse on the grounds that the child does not need a father.Doesn’t need a father? Migri should ask Argentina’s Mothers and Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo if the father, mother, and grandparents are key to a child’s identity and well-being.”
Read on »Great to hear that attitudes towards migrants are improving in Finland. Let’s not, however, generalize and cry victory yet
Why are attitudes becoming more favorable towards migrants in Finland? Helsingin Sanomat turns to Lena Näre, a sociologist, to provide some insight on why attitudes towards migrants have become more desirable.
Read on »QUOTE OF THE DAY: Päävo Väyrynen is Finland’s cold war foreign minister
If there is one politician in Finland that gives some heartburn, that politician is without a doubt Paavo Väyrynen. It is unfortunate that the Finnish media doesn’t return to the cold war era and look into Väyrynen’s record when he was the foreign minister most of the time from 1977 to 1993. During that period there were
Read on »The Helsinki bus driver that videotaped, insulted his customers was fired Thursday
Today we read about a bus driver of Russian origin and a candidate of the Perussuomalaiset (PS)* party ethnically profile Somalis, insulted, videotaped and published on YouTube got sacked today. The bus driver was so sure of himself that he even gave the numbers of his company’s managers to complain.
Read on »“Tolerant” Minister Lindström and his aide planned to slash funding to integration programs in Finland
Blue Reform* (formerly Perussuomalaiset) Minister of Labor Jari Lindström’s special aide Sakari Puisto aimed to slash financial aid to migrant associations by 348,000 euros from 750,000 euros, reports Helsingin Sanomat. A ministry official was “shocked” when he heard such plans by Puisto in January.
Read on »The Finnish Immigration Service asks if you mind being deported
The Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) has sent at least to students with B residence permits the following letter with the question: Does the person concerned object to being forced to leave the country and being prohibited from entering the country?
Read on »A member of the Solidiers of Odin carried out attack on #cupofteawithme demonstration in Oulu on April 7
On April 7 at 4:40am the #cupofteawithme demonstration in Oulu was attacked when three unlit petrol bombs were thrown at the tent. One of the suspects, a member of the vigilante group Soldiers of Odin, was detained by the police, according to YLE. The police found two sticks of dynamite when the suspect’s home was searched by the police.
Read on »Helsinki Times: A rebuttal to Ville Tavio
An op-ed piece published by the Helsinki Times on April 11 by Finns Party (PS) MP Ville Taavio is a good example of why migrants, minorities and sensible Finns should react and be concerned about the type of country some politicians want to steer Finland towards becoming.
Read on »Deportation of Iraqi family of nine from Finland: Prime Minister Juha Sipilä’s asylum policy is a shame to all of us
As the Finnish government spends the Easter holidays in the comfort of their homes and family company, an Iraqi family of nine is awaiting deportation from Finland. It’s difficult, if not impossible, to put oneself in their shoes and wonder what is going through their heads at this moment at the Joutseno immigration removal center.
Read on »Finnish municipal elections analysis: Anti-immigration and us-vs-them politics aren’t sustainable
One of the most important lessons of Sunday’s municipal elections is that the right-wing populist Perussuomalaiset (PS)*, and especially its conservative anti-immigration message and wing, are the biggest losers.
Read on »YouTube Perussuomalaiset candidate: We don’t want asylum seekers in Finland – leave
This interview by an Iraqi asylum seeker of Tampere Perussuomalaiset (PS)* municipal election candidate, Elisa Hiltunen, highlights why many migrants see the PS a hostile party against migrants, especially asylum seekers. Hiltunen reveals the extreme egoism and outright ignorance of our laws and international commitments.
Read on »MP Ozan Yanar: The Perussuomalaiset are obsessed by migrants, they don’t have anything better to do
Green League MP Ozan Yanar socks it to the Perussuomalaiset* (PS) city council candidate Erlin Yang and Laura Kolbe of the Center Party. What he said on the talk show in English explains what the PS is to the tee.
Read on »How Sampo Terho’s essay in 2007 is still the norm but in a different context to fuel fear and racism of migrants and minorities
Perussuomalaiset (PS)* parliamentary group leader Sampo Terho wrote a decade ago in Kanava an essay with the classic far-right populist rhetoric about the threat of migration. His point of view in the essay is not only sinister but was a central argument used by parties like the PS to attract voters and that their racism was “normal.”
Read on »A small far-right Suomi ensin! demonstration again and the media cherishes a story
Suomi ensin! (Finland first!) is a far-right group that goes to different places in Finland to stir up anti-immigration sentiment and hatred for migrants. Even if their demonstrations attract few people, they get a lot of attention in the national media. On Saturday afternoon their demonstration attracted 300* people to the eastern Helsinki neighborhood of
Read on »Family reunification in Finland can easily cost a migrant thousands of euros
Affluent Nordic countries like Finland are making it legally near-difficult never mind costly to reunite families of migrants thanks to the tightening of family reunification guidelines that came into force in July. How much would it cost for an asylum seeker who got a residence permit before July and applied to get his wife and three children aged 9, 7 and 4 to Finland?
Read on »YouGov survey reinforces what we’ve been seeing in some EU countries: authoritarian populist sentiment
A recent YouGov survey on authoritarian populist opinions in 12 European countries revealed something that we all knew. Authoritarian populist opinions are defined by the survey as people who have anti-immigration, anti-human rights, anti-EU institutions, and power as well as strong opinions on foreign policy.
Read on »Our new message to the world: Finland doesn’t like you so don’t even think of moving here!
It’s clear that the government of Prime Minister Juha Sipilä doesn’t like asylum seekers never mind cultural diversity. In the last few months, we’ve seen a tightening of immigration policy by the government, which sends out a clear message to would-be asylum seekers and migrants: Don’t even think of moving here!
Read on »Anti-immigration racism in Finland isn’t more common now
Anti-immigration racism in Finland isn’t more common now, it’s showing its face thanks to the government’s shameful indifference towards asylum seekers and social media. Will you stop squirting us [with blood]? Cartoon by Ville Ranta. Source: Valomerkki.
Read on »Finland’s shameful asylum policy should be changed
Some Finnish politicians from parties like the Swedish People’s Party, Greens and Left Alliance have expressed concern about the government’s ever-tightening asylum policy and a recent decision by the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) to deny an Iraqi asylum.
Read on »How “safe” is Iraq? Who is safe in Iraq?
An Isis suicide attack ripped Baghdad Sunday causing the death toll to rise today to 217 dead., according to Al Iraqya TV.
Read on »Post-Brexit Europe: There is a connection between scapegoating and hate crime
Is there a connection between scapegoating migrants, minorities as well as Others and hate crime? If you look at what has happened after the Brexit vote in the United Kingdom it’s clear that there is a connection.
Read on »Oikeus elää – A Right to live الحق للعيش demonstration tomorrow at 4:00 pm in Helsinki (Narikkantori, Kamppi)
The Finnish government of Prime Minister Juha Sipilä has done everything possible to make asylum seekers feel unwelcome in Finland. On Friday, they tightened family reunification guidelines and recently did away with giving residence permits on humanitarian grounds.
Read on »White Finnish privilege #29: Your family is worth less than mine
There has been a lot of debate about the present government tightening further family reunification laws. It shouldn’t come to any surprise that such measures not only reveal hostility towards asylum seekers, migrants, and minorities but are an example of white Finnish privilege in its most extreme forms.
Read on »What former Kolari asylum reception center deputy manager “likes” on Facebook (and it’s not pretty)
Finland was hard pressed to set up reception centers last year to house some 32,500 asylum seekers. In that quest, it’s understandable that some mistakes were made when hiring staff. What is commendable is that the Finnish Immigration Service succeeded at finding a reception center place for each of the asylum seekers.
Read on »Racism, bigotry, ultranationalism, neo-Nazism are nothing more than ourselves staring back at us from a mirror
Why aren’t we surprised and shocked by what we see today in Europe? Populism, racism, bigotry, ultranationalism, isolationism, and fascism spread thanks to the media and the tacit support of many who nod in approval and silence. Colonialism, wars, and exploitation of non-white Europeans through slavery are some of the windfall profits that gave us our present standard of living, populism, fascism and bigotry.
Read on »A formal complaint by five asylum seeker at Luona’s reception center sheds light on alleged “gross abuses”
Abuses at the asylum reception centers run by Luona have come to light from the occupants who consider their alleged treatment by the staff of the private company as “gross abuses” and a breach of their “human dignity” and “rights.”
Read on »Roble Bashir: Why does the Perussuomalaiset party of Finland back vigilante gangs?
What’s in it for the Perussuomalaiset (PS)* party when they back these notorious street patrol gangs? The whole concept of street patrols emerged due to fear of immigrants by some Finns. These patrols have spread instead fear among immigrants.
Read on »The Finnish government’s eighty-point tightening of immigration policy is all politics and saving face, nothing more
The Finnish government of Prime Minister Juha Sipilä announced Tuesday an eighty-point tightening of Finnish immigration policy, according to YLE News. The new plan by the government means very bad news for asylum seekers and refugees living in Finland.
Read on »A cartoon by Ville Ranta that exposes the real face of anti-immigration groups and parties
The cartoon below, “After the attack,” shows an anti-immigration racist drinking the blood of a victim of the terrorist attack on Paris Friday the 13th of November.
Read on »UPDATE (November 20): Migrant Tales’ 2015 Hall of Poor and Sloppy Journalism
Migrant Tales’ 2015 Hall of Poor and Sloppy Journalism will be updated separately. To see other examples of opinionated journalism in Finland about cultural diversity, please go to this link. November 20 Aukeavatko suvakin silmät? – (Tamperelainen) What’s wrong with this community paper editorial? Community papers like Helsingin Uutiset and Vantaa Sanomat are just as bad as other
Read on »Onko puolueiden allekirjoituksilla merkitystä?
Kun Suomen eduskuntapuolueet 14.10.2015 allekirjoittivat uudelleen edellisen kerran v. 2011 allekirjoitetun eurooppalaisten poliittisten puolueiden yhteisen rasisminvastaisen peruskirjan, eduskunnassa kuultiin kahdenlaista keskustelua. Kuultiin Nasima Razmyarin erinomainen keskustelunavaus sekä Petteri Orvon, Ozan Yanarin ja eräiden muiden kansanedustajien hyvät kannanotot. Mutta kuultiin myös omituisia heittoja siitä, että pitäisi määritellä, mitä se rasismi oikein on. Joku piti perussuomalaisten puoluetoimistoon
Read on »Facebook: An essay on immigration and multiculturaism
I don’t know Dexter personally but I like what he wrote about Saturday’s demonstrations for and against asylum seekers. We are just as worried as you, Dexter, about the atmosphere in Finland.
Read on »The PS puts a price tag on refugees without putting one on themselves
In their never-ending search to prove that immigration and refugees are bad for Finland the Perussuomalaiset (PS) have now a price tag for the cost of each refugee that they accept. Not even Hungary, where refugees are kicked at by camerawomen or thrown food at like animals, has published such a cost estimate.
Read on »A letter from a Finn to a Swede
Dear friend, you probably read about the elections in Denmark and how xenophobia raised its head yet again in another Nordic country. The elections in Denmark didn’t surprise me. Two months earlier we had elections in Finland. Here too the right-wing populist Perussuomalaiset (PS)* became the second-biggest party in parliament and are now in government.
Read on »Timo Soini overjoyed by Danish election result and good showing of the Islamophobic DPP
Perussuomalaiset (PS)* Chairman and Foreign Minister Timo Soini wrote in his blog today that he was elated that the xenophobic Danish People’s Party emerged in the Danish elections as the second-biggest party after the Social Democrats.
Read on »Facebook: PS MP Huuhtasaari wants less immigrants to come to Finland
We’ve all read about Perussuomalaiset (PS)* MP Laura Huhtasaari, the conservative anti-immigration politician who believes that Muslims are a security risk in Finland. In a Facebook post below she’s at it again but this time she attacks all migrants.
Read on »The violent and hostile language of Finnish populists against Others
For those that sighed with momentary relief and claimed that the new government’s immigration policy won’t be as bad as they expected haven’t seen anything yet. Behind the populist and nationalistic rhetoric coming from people like Perussuomalaiset (PS)* chairman Timo Soini, there’s nothing but suspicion and hostility against Finland’s migrant and ever-culturally diverse community. What
Read on »Finland’s attitude and experience of cultural diversity lag thirty years behind other European countries
Watching YLE’s A-studio, which was aired Wednesday, is a prime example why we are still far away in Finland of having an inclusive society that is fair to everyone irrespective of their background. Spotting the red herrings in the debate on such a talk show isn’t easy but not impossible. If National Coalition Party MP
Read on »UPDATE (May 15): Migrant Tales’ 2015 Hall of Poor and Sloppy Journalism
Migrant Tales’ 2015 Hall of Poor and Sloppy Journalism will be updated separately. To see other examples of opinionated journalism in Finland about cultural diversity, please go to this link. May 15 Brittilehti: Kreikka, varo “karhumaista” Timo Soinia! (Ilta-Sanomat) What’s wrong with this story? The Finnish media has been criticized in the past for being toothless when
Read on »Who would you believe? PS MP Hakkarainen or the little girl at sea?
Who would it be? Perussuomalaiset (PS)* MP Teuvo Hakkarainen who got reelected below for claiming that newcomers should adapt or ship out of Finland and “a sharp no to asylum tourism,” or the silence of a little girl at sea? Yes, right, this is the very PS MP who sent an SMS message wth a picture of
Read on »Gareth Rice: Finland – welcome to the Ostrich Nation
The political, economic and social situation in Finland remains perplexing. Finns have been told for so long how good they have it, that they now refuse to believe anything to the contrary.
Read on »Laura Huhtasaari: The Islamophobic PS MP with the kindergarten teacher smile
Newly elected Perussuomalaiset (PS)* MP Laura Huhtasaari, who is trying to make a name for herself with an anti-immigration agenda, believes that migration from Islamic countries is a security risk for Finland, according to Pori-based daily Satakunnan Kansa, which cites Helsingin Sanomat.
Read on »Friday’s A-studio: Attack the weak and vulnerable in Finland because they can’t fight back
In many respects the success of the Perussuomalaiset (PS)* party in the last two parliamentary elections could be seen as a last cry against our ever-growing cultural diversity, which is a reality and will continue to grow in the future. Newly elected PS MP Laura Huhtasaari was one of the guests on Friday’s A-studio together with Green
Read on »Finnish whiteness, Russophobia, anti-immigration and our ever-growing cultural diversity
One matter that became clear in Sunday’s parliamentary elections is how polarized Finland is. On the one hand anti-immigration and Finnish whiteness was heard loud and clear, while two new non-white Finns were elected to parliament: Social Democrat Nasima Razmyar and Ozan Yanar of the Greens. If there is good news to emerge from these elections, it’s Razmyar
Read on »Finland elections send a worrisome message of petty provincialism, anti-immigration, anti-Islam and anti-Other
Of the top 12 anti-immigration candidates below, only one didn’t get reelected: National Coalition Party’s Pia Kauma (UPDATED) and James Hirvisaari of Muutos 2011. While this is a small consolation in the face of the success of the Perussuomalaiset (PS) party on Sunday, the big question is if this populist anti-immigration party will form part of the
Read on »Finland election result: No evil lasts 100 years
No hay mal que dure 100 años. The saying in Spanish means that since a human doesn’t live for 100 years, his or her evil cannot last that long. One day it will end when the person dies. Even if the PS is not a human per se, the damage it has inflicted on Finland
Read on »On Sunday we vote in Finland – future generations will be watching closely the result
Finland will hold parliamentary elections on Sunday. According to the latest polls, the Center Party is well ahead with the National Coalition Party (NCP) and Perussuomalaiset (PS)* trailing in second and third place, respectively. The Social Democrats are in fourth place. Migrant Tales has tirelessly reported on the ongoing anti-immigration debate in Finland daily since 2011. Since Finland is our
Read on »PS’ Timo Soini claims he’s “surprised” that not more immigrants want to move to Finland
Politicians sometimes say pretty incredible things. What do you think if the leader of Finland’s biggest anti-immigration party in parliament states that he’s surprised that not more immigrants move to Finland? And then the leader of this party, Timo Soini, puts the icing on the cake and is quoted on YLE in English as saying that Finland “is
Read on »Racism as PS immigration policy
The Perussuomalaiset (PS)* recently published their party program on immigration, which breaches human rights, is unconstitutional and outright racist. Even if Social Democrat MP Johannes Koskinen was quoted as saying on Oulu-based daily Kaleva that parts of the PS’ party program were in conflict with our constitution, there’s been too little reaction by mainstream political parties and
Read on »When will Finland change its suspicious views of migrants and cultural diversity?
Christian Thibault, chairman of Rasmus, told Migrant Tales a while back something significant about how matters change in Finland concerning migrants in this country. He said that the Finnish Football Federation wasn’t very active in providing referee courses in different languages. When they noticed that ere was a chronic shortage of referees, matters changed. In
Read on »Do you think David Cameron should be given ‘a medal’ for immigration?
Finnish Prime Minister Alexsander Stubb continues to surprise us. This time he proposed giving the UK, or Prime Minister David Cameron, ‘a medal’ for immigration. Taking into account how Cameron sees himself threatened by the UKIP and how he’s caved in to anti-immigration and anti-EU rhetoric, the distinction proposed by Stubb is odd to say the
Read on »The PS has found its political role model in the Sweden Democrats
Perussuomalaiset (PS)* MP Tom Packalén is an example of how the good election result of the Sweden Democrats has invigorated him and the PS to start scapegoating migrants in Finland. Taking into account the poor result of the PS in the last presidential, municipal and EU elections, it’s clear that some PS MPs will do anything to get attention and hopefully votes.
Read on »Who spreads hatred in Finland: YLE or the PS?
Attempting to gain the maximum political mileage from the act of vandalism against the Perussuomalaiset (PS)* office in Helsinki on Thursday, party secretary, Riikka Slunga-Poutsalo, is pointing the finger at the “green-left alliance” (a favorite catchword that the party uses to describe its enemies) and YLE for comparing it to the anti-immigration far-right Sweden Democrats.
Read on »Will the Sweden Democrat victory give a boost to the PS in Finland?
The Swedish election result not only showed a shift and set for a minority-left government, but historic gains made by the far-right Sweden Democrats. Conservative Moderat Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, who conceded defeat late Sunday, said he will hand in his resignation Monday after eight years in power. Just like the anti-immigration Peerussuomalaiset (PS)* in
Read on »MP Pia Kauma’s crusade against baby carriages is based on hearsay
National Coalition Party MP Pia Kauma has become quite a sensation after she accused migrant women of buying new baby carriages with welfare money. When asked on YLE’s A-Studio where she got such information, her answer was quite startling. ”Of course it’s very difficult to get factual information,” she said on YLE’s A-Studio, “but I
Read on »Helsingin Sanomat poll shows the PS heading south
A poll published today by Helsingin Sanomat reveals that the Perussuomalaiset (PS)* party is at its lowest point (15.9%) in two years. The most popular party in Finland continues to be the National Coalition Party (22.1%) followed by the Center Party (19.9%). The Social Democrats, which are still struggling, are in the mid-teens (14.9%) with
Read on »The political record and chicanery of the PS of Finland is what has estranged so many voters from politics
While some are still scratching their heads about the Perussuomalaiset (PS)* joining the European parliament’s European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group this week, it shows why so many voters have become estranged from politics. Read full story here. Before the historic 2011 parliamentary elections for the PS, when 39 of its MPs got elected
Read on »Migrants’ Rights Network: Is a new Immigration Bill to be announced in the Queen’s Speech?
Migrant Tales insight: Events in the United Kingdom resemble a self-fulfilling prophesy for white English and an ever-worsening and ever-hostile place for migrants and visible minorities. The treatment and approach to immigration of Prime Minister David Cameron’s government is shameful. It reveals more cowardice than sound judgement. The worst matter in the United Kingdom isn’t
Read on »Disingenuous Finnish PS MEP-elect Jussi Halla-aho fears image would suffer with parties like far-right National Front
In an interview on YLE, Perussuomalaiset (PS) newly elected MEP Jussi Halla-aho said that it was doubtful that the anti-immigration party would form part of a parliamentary group with far-right parties like the National Front of France “because the party’s image would suffer.” What a disingenuous statement by a politician who has based his career
Read on »The euro elections have shown parties like the PS to be hostile to development aid, immigrants, minorities and gays
It’s clear that if we allowed ourselves to be spoon-fed by the populism and anti-EU, homophobic and anti-immigration rhetoric of the Perussuomalaiset (PS) party, minorities would always be threatened with social exclusion. PS MP Maria Lohela, who is said to turn into a Ms Hyde if you mention the word “Islam” to her, offered in
Read on »Institute of Race Relations: UKIP – legitimised by the media?
MT insight: UKIP’s Nigel Farage and Perussuomalaiset party’s Timo Soini are close ideological allies. The only difference between these two politicians in the cultural and national context. If Farage lived in Finland he’d speak like Soini and vice versa. Thus to understand the PS you would have to understand the UKIP. _________________ John Grayson examines
Read on »Burst the hate bubble of anti-immigration groups
When you listen to anti-immigration politicians and groups, there’s one matter that exposes them to the tee: Constant whining without any solutions. They don’t give you the solution to the problem because they simply have none to offer. Read full story here. The Nazis were questionably pro-active on ethnic issues. As we saw from 1933,
Read on »Finland’s distorted immigration debate is damaging our country
My son asked me Friday an interesting question that revealed what is wrong concerning the present debate on immigration and immigrants in Finland. He asked me to show how does immigration fuel economic growth. His question, which is a valid one, reveals some of the perceptions that some have about immigration. Due to the attention
Read on »The PS are now hoping that Kouvola stops receiving asylum seekers and quota refugees by 2016
If you believe that the Perussuomalaiset (PS) party has toned down its xenophobia and loathing towards refugees, check out what they are doing in the municipality of Kouvola. According to the local daily, Kouvolan Sanomat, the PS wants the city council to stop receiving asylum seekers and quota refugees by 2016. While the PS blame
Read on »Is it ok to be a closet fascist, Nazi and racist in the PS after the Hirvisaari scandal?
In an A-studio talk show Monday, Perussuomalaiset (PS) third vice-president, Juho Eerola, was asked what was the underlying message of MP James Hirvisaari’s expulsion to members of the party. The PS MP said that “playing with issues like National Socialism and misanthropy” are unacceptable in the PS. The person making such a claim, Eerola, wrote
Read on »Zuzeeko’s blog: MPs ignore bigger fish to fry in Finnish society
Zuzeeko Tegha Abeng Public discourse in Finnish online forums and blogs written by far-right elements and Finns Party MPs suggest that immigration is the biggest problem in Finland, but a closer look at Finnish society reveals more pertinent issues that people on the far-right of the political divide ignore, including domestic violence, family killings and
Read on »Let’s play fill in the blanks with far-right Finnish MP Teuvo Hakkarainen
Perussuomalaiset (PS) MP Teuvo Hakkarainen attacked immigrants and Muslims in a latest blog entry, where he accuses them of living off social welfare and Muslims of taking over Europe. In order to understand how ludicrous and racist the PS MP’s arguments are, Migrant Tales will play “fill in the blanks.” Migrant Tales has “played” fill
Read on »Will anti-immigration rhetoric boost the PS in the upcoming Finnish elections?
Two important questions arise in light of the upcoming Euro MP and parliamentary elections in Finland in 2014 and 2015, respectively: How many parties will use immigration as an election issue, and will the next two elections reveal the ugly face of intolerance of other political parties in Finland? If we look at the United
Read on »Finland’s anti-immigration sentiment surprised a lot of people
Finland is a country that is graying at a rapid pace and needs to bring skilled labor. Some parties, like the Perussuomalaiset (PS), believe that immigration especially from outside the EU should be stopped at all costs. Others don’t mind as long as immigrants bring skills and contribute to society by paying taxes. In the
Read on »Is Finland’s interior minister promoting a country built on equal treatment and equal opportunity?
Päivi Räsänen is in charge of the interior ministry that makes the following mission statement on its website: “Finland will be the safest country in Europe – a country built on equal treatment and equal opportunity.” Fine, agreed. How does Räsänen further the equal treatment of immigrants, gays and visible minorities when she speaks so
Read on »What does the PS’ new party secretary mean by “tightening [Finnish] immigration policy?”
Left Alliance MP Risto Kalliorinne asks Perussuomalaiset (PS) new party secretary Riikka Slunga-Poutsalo to elaborate what she means by ”tightening immigration policy?” Apart from labeling herself a chauvinist, Slunga-Poutsalo “demanded” that Finland should tighten immigration policy. Read original story here. While Left Alliance MP Kalliorinne poses an important question, we all know the answer that Slunga-Poutsalo
Read on »The PS’ not too public love affair with the Danish People’s Party
The DPP is an anti-migration, ethno-nationalist, anti-Islam,populist anti-elitist and anti-EU party that wants welfare only for native Danes. The PS is the a carbon copy of the latter. If you want to know what kind of a Finland the Perussuomalaiset (PS) want to turn the country into, take a good look at their political mentors
Read on »New PS party secretary Riikka Slunga Poutsalo “demands” tighter immigration policy
As Migrant Tales correctly pointed out, it didn’t take long for the new party secretary of the Perussuomalaiset (PS), Riikka Slunga-Poutsalo, to show her far right anti-immigration credentials. Interviewed by YLE’s 8:30 pm news, Slunga-Poutsalo “demands” Finland should tighten immigration policy further. Migrant Tales wrote Saturday that one of the aims of the PS annual congress
Read on »The PS’ new Cadillac model of racism
How does intolerance and racism work in Finnish politics? How does it manifest itself today in anti-immigration parties like the Perussuomalaiset (PS)? A quote by U.S. civil rights leader Malcolm X (1925-65) provides us with a partial clue to these questions: “Racism is like a Cadillac, they bring out a new model every year.” Is
Read on »Annual congress: The PS aims to become the biggest party in Finland with anti-EU and anti-immigration platform
The first day of Perussuomalaiset (PS) annual congress in Joensuu (July 29-30) did not produce any surprises but reinforced the party’s anti-immigration, and especially its anti-Islam and anti-cultural diversity stand. The party leadership, starting from Timo Soini to its new secretary, Riikka Slunga-Putsalo, confirm this. Soini, who was reelected chairman of the party by a
Read on »Finnish Swedish-speaking journalists and public figures receive death threats
Is it a surprise that prominent Finns belonging to the Swedish-speaking minority received anonymous hate mail and death threats this week? If you want to find the roots of such hatred, one place to look is the anti-immigration, anti-Swedish language and anti-EU Perussuomalaiset (PS) party. Members of the Swedish-speaking communities are not the only ones
Read on »Suomen Sisu and its red herrings: Radical Islamists are now gaining a foothold in Finland
Suomen Sisu, a far right anti-immigration association, said in a statement today that it was concerned about “radical Islamists” gaining a foothold in Finland after Anjem Courdary’s visit to Helsinki on Thursday. Is the extremist association were honest, it would take a good look at itself in the mirror and warn us as well about
Read on »Timo Soini and Olli Immonen, the foxes in the chicken coop
Perussuomalaiset (PS) chairman Timo Soini was asked Tuesday by YLE what he thought about PS MP Olli Immonen being elected as the new chairman of Suomen Sisu, an extremist anti-immigration association. Soini offered his usual cock-and-bull answer by comparing Suomen Sisu to a harmless hunting, farming or youth association. It appears that YLE has learned a
Read on »Finland’s biggest threat is itself
As Finland awakens to the reality that it is a culturally diverse society, one of the biggest threats and challenges we face doesn’t come from abroad but from our backyard. When the Civil Rights Movement ended in the United States in 1968, the first matter that we learned we should stop doing is generalizing about blacks
Read on »If you’re anti-gay you’re probably anti-immigration (or don’t understand what is at stake)
It is surprising that a country like Finland, which claims to be a Nordic democracy, we see so much opposition to gays not only from anti-immigration parties like the Perussuomalaiset (PS), but from other ones as well like the National Coalition Party. PS MP Mika Niikko, a fierce opponent of gay rights, echoed on Helsingin
Read on »Common Ground News Service: Spreading “anti-rumours” about immigrants
By María-Paz López Barcelona, Spain –“They are invading us”, “They don’t respect the rules”, “They don’t pay taxes”, “They don’t want to integrate”, “They get special subsidies to open businesses”, are just a few of the often repeated accusations against immigrant communities in Spain. To deal with rising prejudices, Barcelona City Council is now beginning
Read on »YLE poll: PS seen as big winner of the Finnish municipal elections
YLE’s latest poll published Thursday shows the Perussuomalaiset (PS) Party will be the biggest winner of the October 29 municipal elections. The poll sees the PS getting 17.2% of the votes versus 5.4% in 2008. The poll predicts the Center Party as the biggest loser of the election with 15.9% versus 20.1%. The National Coalition
Read on »Halla-aho wants Juho Eerola to be his successor
The Perussuomalaiset (PS) party never ceases to surprise us. Former administration committee chairman MP Jussi Halla-aho said he wants Juho Eerola to be his successor. The MP, who is second vice president of the PS, is Halla-aho’s close ideological ally and a member of the far-right Suomen Sisu association. Appointing Eerola as the new chairman
Read on »Finland also locks up asylum seeker children
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- A child in the Joutseno Immigration Removal Center.
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