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.'

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[–] maporita@lemmy.ml 30 points 2 years ago (3 children)

I was thinking it was just a right wing, anti-immigrant politician, not an actual Nazi. Then I went to check.. holy hell.

[–] QuentinCallaghan@sopuli.xyz 24 points 2 years ago

If that wasn't enough, Junnila also posed with a statue of Robert E. Lee when visiting USA.

[–] randon31415@lemmy.world 9 points 2 years ago

"Corporate want to know the difference between these two pictures."

[–] sovietsnake@lemmygrad.ml 7 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Also, Finland's Air Force used the swastika until 2020. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53249645

[–] Lols@lemm.ee 8 points 2 years ago (2 children)

and had been for several years before nazism existed, because the swastika is not exclusively a nazi symbol

for instance several chinese religions continue to use the swastika today, ditto for the nepal chamber of commerce, the ahmedabad stock exchange and other organisations

[–] 133arc585@lemmy.ml 2 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Small correction, those "swastikas" are oriented square, whereas the Nazi swastika is rotated 45 degrees.

[–] Lols@lemm.ee 3 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

the finnish airforce, having adopted the symbol before and entirely separately from the nazis, did not use a 45° hakenkreuz either

swastika is just what that style of cross is called

[–] vacuumflower@vlemmy.net 2 points 2 years ago

Not even necessarily a cross. Arevakhach and borjgali are also technically swastikas (one is literally called a cross, though, but it's not).

[–] gary_host_laptop@lemmy.ml -2 points 2 years ago

Swedish count Eric von Rosen gave the Finnish White government its second aircraft, a Thulin Typ D.[3] Von Rosen, later one of the founding members of the Nationalsocialistiska Blocket ("National Socialist Bloc"), a Swedish National Socialist political party, and brother-in-law to Hermann Goering,[4][5] had painted his personal good-luck charm on the Thulin Type D aircraft. This logo – a blue swastika, the ancient symbol of the sun and of good luck, which was back then still used with non-political connotations – gave rise to the insignia of the Finnish Air Force. The white circular background originated when the Finns painted over the advertisement from the Thulin air academy.[6] The swastika was officially taken into use after an order by Commander-in-Chief C. G. E. Mannerheim on 18 March 1918. The FAF changed its aircraft insignia, which resembled the swastika of the Third Reich, after 1944 due to an Allied Control Commission decree,[7] which prohibited fascist organizations.

So it was used because of a fascist, banned because it was fascist, but it wasn't fascist.

[–] Skelectus@suppo.fi -1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Not quite the same as a current politician doing this. Are you implying that Finland was a nazi supporting state all this time?

[–] sovietsnake@lemmygrad.ml 2 points 2 years ago

Fascism is liberal democracy in decay. Do of the fact presented above as you wish.

[–] tyo_ukko@sopuli.xyz 24 points 2 years ago

The present government is such a disgrace. It's amazing considering how well regarded the previous one was (well, Marin anyways).

[–] QuentinCallaghan@sopuli.xyz 17 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Either Junnila himself resigns or the new PM Petteri Orpo is going to fire him. He is going to be one helluva burden internationally, considering how he is going to visit Israel and Germany soon. And in those countries a blind eye is not going to be turned to "jokes" about 88 and gas. Hell, in one old Facebook post Junnila showed off a snowman that looked like a KKK member with a text "white Christmas"!

Junnila was saved mainly because those 15 MPs (mainly from the opposition) were away, and the (Rudimentary) Finns Party leader Riikka Purra had threatened to break up the government should the vote be against him.

[–] QuentinCallaghan@sopuli.xyz 15 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

Update: Junnila is resigning (in Finnish).

EDIT: And as if anything previously told wasn't enough, he has fabricated his education and work history (also in Finnish).

[–] boredtortoise@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Let's see what happens to the rest. Is he a precedent or a tactic to sweep the issue under the rug.

[–] QuentinCallaghan@sopuli.xyz 4 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

Up next is the interior minister Mari Rantanen (the Finns Party) who has previously made social media posts about the great replacement. Finland's Interior Ministry considers the great replacement a far-right conspiracy theory. One reporter asked the PM Petteri Orpo (NCP) about this, considering how last week he said that the government has zero tolerance for flirting with extremist movements. He claimed not to know anything about this. "The Finns Party, as we know, is a little bit different player in politics." Really ironic.

This is embarrassing for Riikka Purra, the Finns Party leader. She had previously threatened to break up the government, should the confidence vote be against Junnila. Well, now Junnila himself resigned. Purra hasn't said a single thing about this, what is she, a coward eating her words?

This is also embarrassing for the NCP. All the party's MPs present voted in favor of Junnila. One Jewish MP of the party refused to vote. The party showed how they could support a Nazi publicly and the Finns Party has them by the balls. For NCP, it seemed like Junnila being a Nazi wasn't a problem, but Finland's reputation getting tainted was. NCP is ready to bend over backwards as long as they get what they want – or if there's no spine at all, no problem.

[–] h34d@feddit.de 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Wow, it almost sounds like forming a government with a far-right party might not be such a great idea after all.

[–] QuentinCallaghan@sopuli.xyz 3 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Orpo said that zero tolerance for racism is stated in the government's programme, and yet the Finns Party is in the government coalition. The party that is "not racist, but #1 among racists". The whole government lineup feels like a forced marriage with no clear common values, all the parties being only held together through the power of an illusion. This government will not last long, mark my words.

Also what perplexes me is our media's role in this – or more accurately revelations about Junnila not originating from media investigation but from independent bloggers and social media users. Foreign media called our new government far-right, whereas our media just called it "right-wing" and walked on eggshells, especially regarding the Finns Party. After the revelations caught enough flak on social media when all the new ministers were appointed, only then media started paying attention. Our media could have investigated all this for several weeks. Junnila's resignation was mostly influenced by the pressure from civil society.

Therefore it's interesting to see whether our media is going to make news about Junnila and other Finns Party members, this time with more investigation, or do they consider their job done. Mari Rantanen gaining attention is hinting for the first option.

[–] Hopfgeist@feddit.de 14 points 2 years ago

The BBC just reported that he resigned.

[–] faltuuser@lemmy.world 14 points 2 years ago (1 children)

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.

What?

[–] rammer@sopuli.xyz 12 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Don't forget about tweeting about making a snowman with a kkk hood and a noose.

[–] RickyRigatoni@lemmy.ml 6 points 2 years ago

This dude spent his summers on 4chan as a kid i think.

[–] littleclover@monyet.cc 1 points 2 years ago

It's intentional to dog whistle those right wing secrets that can't be spoken out loud.

[–] sovietsnake@lemmygrad.ml 5 points 2 years ago

Europe being Europe, samo, samo.

[–] nigh7y@lemmy.ml 3 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Seems like a trend. I'm starting to think that the guy who said "social democracies eventually degenerate into fascism" had a point.

[–] boredtortoise@sh.itjust.works 0 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Well the cabinet is formed by parties which push the US/Russia/China agenda against social democracy. Maybe the saying is closer to capitalist-authoritarians trying to degenerate the world into fascism.

[–] Fredselfish@lemmy.ml -2 points 2 years ago

Who said that? Because guy was spot on.

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