Minister survives confidence vote after far-right scandal
yle.fi
Three opposition parties called for the vote over the Finns Party minister's links to far-right groups and past statements.

Finland’s new economic affairs minister and member of the nationalist Finns Party, Vilhelm Junnila, survived a confidence vote in parliament on Wednesday.

MPs votes on the measure fell 95-86 with three abstentions and 15 absences.

The confidence vote was called by three opposition parties, the Left Alliance, Green and Social Democratic parties, due to Junnila’s previous controversial statements and links to far-right groups.

Seven Swedish People’s Party MPs voted against Junnila, with the other three abstaining. Three National Coalition MPs were absent for the vote, but the other government party MPs voted their confidence in the controversial politician.

Junnila has joked about his election number (88) referencing ‘Heil Hitler’, campaigned at an election under the “gas” slogan and spoken at at least one event organised by a far-right group.

The recently-appointed minister apologised last week for his comments and actions, following two days of media controversy about the matter.

MPs also voted on the government programme, with 106 voting to support it, 78 voting against, and one abstention. 15 legislators were away for that vote.

      • boredtortoise@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
        1·
        1 year ago

        Also simple solutions and scapegoats to complex issues. Elite is safer when the people fight each other

    • skogens_ro@kbin.social
      1·
      1 year ago

      Same appeal as other forms of extremism. You get a set of enemies to blame for everything wrong with the world. You can hate them and feel justified for it. You get simple solutions to complicated problems. You’re in the know, while ordinary people are being manipulated by some evil elite.

    • Vivarevo@sopuli.xyzEnglish
      0·
      1 year ago

      Recently it turned out this fella has lied about his education and work past. Turned out instead of masters on goverment studies, he signed up on open university but never finnished a single course.