Brexit Is a 'Lose Lose Proposition' for Everyone

Former Prime Minister of Finland, Alexander Stubb speaks to Sky News about Brexit negotiations on trade.

Georgia Pastor's Mind Blown by European Atheists

A Finnish television network recently filmed a Southern Baptist pastor as he visited secular Nordic countries and struggled to come to grips with widespread LGBT rights and atheism.

Finland: Anti-migrant Rally Fumes against Mosque Construction Plan

In the wake of plans for a new Mosque to be built in the centre of Helsinki, an anti-immigration rally was held, Saturday. The protest, branded 'Islamophobic' by counter-protesters, formed in opposition to the building plans in the Finnish capital. Protesters held banners and chanted slogans denouncing the plan. However, the 'anti-racist' demo who met them also held banners decrying their 'prejudice' and 'discrimination.'

RAW: Protesters Attack Refugee Bus with Stones, Fireworks in Finland

Protesters threw fireworks, stones and beer bottles at a bus bringing asylum-seekers to a refugee centre in Finland. The bus with the new arrivals was escorted by police as it approached the refugee centre north of Helsinki overnight Thursday into Friday. State broadcaster YLE said the roughly 40 asylum-seekers were met by up to 40 protesters. It was unclear if any arrests were made.

Finland Tells 900,000 Reservists Their Roles 'In the Event of War'

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Amid rising tension with Russia, Finland takes the rare step of sending letters to every military reservist

Finland has sent letters to nearly a million military reservists, setting out their roles “in the event of war” amid rising tension with neighbouring Russia.

The letters have been dispatched to 900,000 former conscripts in the armed forces, including to Finns living abroad.

The first were sent earlier this month, with the final batch distributed in the last few days.

Finland is not a member of Nato and the country shares an 830-mile border with Russia – the longest of any European nation apart from Ukraine.

In the aftermath of Russia’s annexation of Crimea and the invasion of eastern Ukraine, Finland is uniquely vulnerable to any further aggression.

The letter tells the reservists which regiment or unit to report to in the event of hostilities. “Attached you will find your personal details as well as your role in the event of war,” it reads. » | Nick Squires, Rome | Thursday, May 21, 2015

Dozens Of Finns, Swedes Fighting For IS

RADIO FREE EUROPE / RADIO LIBERTY: This week, police and security forces in Finland and Sweden have announced that dozens of those countries' citizens are fighting with the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria and Iraq.

According to Helsinki Police Chief Inspector Jari Taponen, around 50 people from Finland, 76 percent of whom are Finnish passport holders and "almost 20" of whom are ethnic Finns, have gone to IS-controlled areas in Syria and Iraq.

Taponen told Finnish TV channel Yle TV1 on January 22 that the major priority for Finnish security forces is to "try to prevent travel to the war zone."

According to Taponen, the Finnish Security Intelligence Service, Supo, believes that as many as eight people from Finland have been killed fighting alongside IS.

Radicalism among young female converts to Islam in Finland has increased in recent months, he said, adding that most of those who have joined IS are from the Helsinki region. » | Joanna Paraszczuk | Friday, January 23, 2015

Finland Warns of New Cold War as EU and US Fail to Grasp Situation in Russia

Sauli Ninisto: 'We have a long tradition of keeping out
of conflict with Russia.'

THE GUARDIAN: Finnish president Sauli Niinisto set to meet David Cameron and other northern European leaders at conference in Helsinki

Western countries are “at the gates” of a new cold war with Russia sparked by the Ukraine crisis and a continuing failure to grasp the depth and seriousness of President Vladimir Putin’s grievances with the US and EU, the Finnish president, Sauli Niinisto, has warned.

Speaking to the Guardian at his official residence before a conference in Helsinki on Thursday attended by Britain’s David Cameron and leaders of the Nordic and Baltic states, Niinisto said Finland had a long tradition of trying to maintain friendly relations with Russia. But it was not prepared to be pushed around. » | Simon Tisdall in Helsinki | Wednesday, November 05, 2014

Vladimir Putin ‘Wants to Regain Finland’ for Russia, Adviser Says

THE INDEPENDENT: Finland has increased border surveillance in recent weeks as Mr Putin moves to ‘protect what belongs to him and his predecessors’

After annexing Crimea and with troops massed on the border of Ukraine, Vladimir Putin will not stop trying to expand Russia until he has “conquered” Belarus, the Baltic states and Finland, one of his closest former advisers has said.

According to Andrej Illarionov, the President’s chief economic adviser from 2000 to 2005, Mr Putin seeks to create “historical justice” with a return to the days of the last Tsar, Nicholas II, and the Soviet Union under Stalin.

Speaking to the Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet, Mr Illarionov warned that Russia will argue that the granting of independence to Finland in 1917 was an act of “treason against national interests”.

“Putin’s view is that he protects what belongs to him and his predecessors,” Mr Illarionov said.

“Parts of Georgia, Ukraine, Belarus, the Baltic States and Finland are states where Putin claims to have ownership. He added: “The West’s leaders seem, from what they say, entirely to have forgotten that there are some leaders in the world who want to conquer other countries.” » Adam Withnall | Sunday, March 30, 2014

Finlande : exclusion d'un député pour un salut nazi pris en photo

LA PRESSE: Le parti des Finlandais (extrême droite) a annoncé jeudi qu'il allait expulser un de ses députés après avoir appris qu'il avait photographié son invité en train de faire un salut nazi au Parlement.

Le député James Hirvisaari, dont l'invité est connu pour avoir posté fréquemment sur Internet des photos et vidéos du même genre, a pris celui-ci en photo faisant le salut nazi, dans les locaux ouverts au public du Parlement fin septembre. La photo a été ensuite publiée sur Internet.

Le président du parti, Timo Soini, a jugé l'action de M. Hirvisaari «inacceptable» et a déclaré qu'il allait «certainement» être expulsé au cours de la prochaine réunion de la direction du parti.

«J'ai toujours pris position contre le racisme», s'est défendu M. Soini à la chaîne de télévision finlandaise YLE. » | Agence France-Presse | Helsinki | jeudi 03 octobre 2013

Finnland: Niinistö wird neuer Präsident Finnlands

LE FIGARO: Le populisme ne gagne pas en Finlande » | Par Thierry Portes | dimanche 05 février 2012

Conservative Wins Finland Presidential Vote
abc NEWS: A former finance minister won Finland's presidential election Sunday and will become the country's first conservative head of state in five decades.

Sauli Niinisto won 63 percent of the votes, compared to 37 percent for his rival, Greens candidate Pekka Haavisto, official results showed with 100 percent of ballots counted.

The 63-year-old Niinisto will become the first president from the conservative National Coalition Party since 1956, and the first in 30 years from a party other than the center-left Social Democrats.

He will replace Tarja Halonen, one of Finland's most popular heads of state, who has served the maximum two six-year terms.

"The president in Finland has to understand that there are many different thoughts and opinions and that they must be taken into account so that he could be the president of the whole nation," Niinisto said in his victory speech.

Finland's president has a largely ceremonial role with fewer powers now than in previous decades, and is not directly involved in daily politics. However, the head of state takes the lead on non-EU matters of foreign policy, is seen as an important shaper of public opinion, and plays a role as a "brand ambassador" of Finland overseas. » | Matti Huutanen, Associated Press | HELSINKI | Sunday, February 05, 2012

Finnish Priest’s Anti-terror Campaign Backfires – Again

Brussels' Fear of the True Finns: Rise of Populist Parties Pushes Europe to the Right
SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: The success of the True Finns in last week's Finnish elections has shocked Brussels. They are just one of a number of right-wing populist parties currently flourishing in Europe. Their rise could threaten the euro bailout. By SPIEGEL Staff.

Timo Soini, 48, is standing in front of "Hesburger," a fast food restaurant in the western part of Helsinki. It is shortly before 10 a.m., and he is waiting patiently for the restaurant to finally open its doors. Soini, the chairman of the right-wing populist Perussuomalaiset, or "True Finns" party, has been giving interviews for almost three hours. There are more than 250 new text messages on his mobile phone. Now he's hungry.

It is the morning after an election that brought what the papers have called a "revolution" to Finland. Almost one in five voters voted for Soini's party on Sunday, April 17, and now it looks like it is about to become part of the new government. A political earthquake is happening in Helsinki, one that could have reverberations throughout Europe.

Until now, the small country in the far northeastern corner of the continent was seen as a model member of the European Union. It was known for its successful export-oriented companies, liberal social policies and the best-performing school students in the Western industrialized world. It is ironic that it is here in Finland -- a part of Europe that always seemed eminently European -- that a movement is now coming to power that inveighs against immigrants and abortions, considers Brussels to be the "heart of darkness" and rejects all financial assistance for what it calls "wasteful countries," like Greece, Ireland and Portugal. "We were too soft on Europe," says Soini, adding that Finland should not be made to "pay for the mistakes of others."

The election result from Europe's far north has alarmed the political establishment in Brussels. If Soini's party becomes part of the new government, there will be more at stake than Helsinki's traditional pro-European stance. The entire program to rescue the euro could be in jeopardy, because it has to be approved unanimously by the entire European Union. That includes both the anticipated aid for Portugal, the additional billions for the euro bailout fund and the planned reform of the fund. Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt calls the Finnish election results a "reason for concern," while Hans-Dietrich Genscher, the former head of Germany's pro-business Free Democratic Party (FDP) and former German foreign minister, warns: "The outcome of the elections is a warning sign." Gaining Ground Across the EU » | Spiegel Staff | Monday, April 25, 2011

Europe's Populists Build on Hostility to Brussels, Immigration and Islam
DEUTSCHE WELLE: Right-wing populist parties are on the rise across large swathes of Europe, as demonstrated in Finland this week. Bolstered by resentments over the EU, immigration and Islam, their leaders have seized the moment.

The success of the anti-immigration, euroskeptic True Finns in Sunday's elections may have proved a shock to Finland's political elite, but the signs were already there.

Populist right-wing parties across Europe have benefited from a growing resentment towards the European Union, Islam and immigration, meaning Timo Soini's True Finns are far from being alone.

Soini, whose party gained 39 seats in the 200-seat Finnish legislature, wants to reduce immigration and to oppose Finnish backing for EU bailout funds.

Across the Baltic, the like-minded Swedish Democrats garnered 5.7 percent of the vote in last September's vote, surpassing the 4 percent barrier and gaining parliamentary representation for the first time.

The party's success under young leader Jimmie Akesson meant the country's center-right and liberal coalition was forced to preside as a minority government. Despite having far-right roots, the Swedish Democrats have managed to adopt a more accessible, moderate image and have capitalized on growing resentment of immigration.

Over the border in Norway, the anti-immigrant Progress Party enjoyed its best-ever results in 2009, winning 23 percent of the vote. The party is seeking to widen its appeal by distancing itself from the more extremist views on immigration and focusing on more traditional left-right politics such as criticism of the welfare state.

Rounding out the Scandinavian countries, the Danish People's Party is building on what is now an established position within the country's parliament. It has been the third biggest party since 2001 and has garnered much support with its appeals against a perceived, creeping "Islamification" of Denmark. » | Author: Richard Connor (AFP, Reuters) | Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Finnish Pastor Defrocked for Speaking Out against Terrorists (April 14, 2011)

Finnish Priest Persecuted for Speaking Out against Terrorists

Finland's Right Turn Spells Trouble for Europe
SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: The right-wing populist party True Finns won 19 percent of the vote in Finland on Sunday. The euroskeptic party has said it is opposed to a bailout package for Portugal, which could spell trouble for the euro zone.

Now, it is Finland's turn. Following in the footsteps of several northern European countries in recent years -- and continuing a trend that has been particularly apparent in Scandinavia -- Finnish voters on Sunday threw substantial support behind the right-wing populist party True Finns.

The party, led by Timo Soini, 48, grabbed 19 percent of the vote, more than quadrupling its result in 2007. And while Soini adheres to the standard collection of xenophobic and anti-Islam positions common to the right wing everywhere, it is his party's position on the euro which has engendered the most concern across Europe.

"We have to this point been too soft when it comes to Europe," Soini said on Monday, basking in his election success. "That has to change." In particular, Soini said, the euro-zone bailout package currently being designed for Portugal must be revisited. » | cgh -- with wire reports | Monday, April 18, 2011

Finland's election: Race to the Finnish
THE ECONOMIST: FINNISH elections do not usually excite much attention abroad, still less apprehension. A long border with Russia gives Finland strategic significance, but it is a small place with a reputation as a stolid member of both the European Union and the euro zone. Most election campaigns feature a dozen or more parties. The one that wins the most votes invites two or three others to form a coalition—and nobody loses much sleep. But the election on April 17th may break the mould because of the astonishing rise of a populist Eurosceptic party, the True Finns, led by Timo Soini.

Many Finns are bored by their familiar politicians. A recent survey found that one-third of voters could not name the four parties in today’s coalition. By contrast, Mr Soini’s soundbites about helping impoverished Finns instead of bailing out profligate Greeks or handing cash to immigrants have struck a chord. The True Finns took just 4.1% of votes in the 2007 election, but they are now almost level in the polls with the three bigger parties (see chart). It is anybody’s guess which party will emerge as the biggest on polling day, and thus probably supply the next prime minister. » | Thursday, April 14, 2011

Nazi Fury at Hitler the Paw-raising Dog
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: German ministries considered prosecuting dog's Finnish owner or ruining his business for insulting Hitler, wartime records reveal

Germany's Nazi government was so angry about a dog trained to imitate Hitler that it started an obsessive campaign against its Finnish owner, according to newly discovered documents.

In the middle of the second world war, the foreign office in Berlin commanded its diplomats in Nazi-friendly Finland to gather evidence on the dog, and even came up with plans to destroy the pharmaceutical wholesale company of the dog's owner.

Historians had not been aware of the strange footnote to the Nazi period before some 30 files containing parts of the correspondence and diplomatic cables were recently found by a researcher in the political archives of the German foreign office. >>> Associated Press | Friday, January 07, 2011

Iranian Diplomat 'Defects’ in Protest at Regime
THE TELEGRAPH: An Iranian diplomat in Finland claims he has defected after quitting his job in protest at the Islamic Republic’s treatment of its citizens.

Hossein Alizadeh said he had held the No. 2 post at the embassy in the Finnish capital Helsinki as deputy head of mission. He said he informed the embassy four days ago of his decision to quit after staying off the job for nearly a month.

“I don’t consider myself anymore a diplomat standing beside a brutal Iranian regime,” Mr Alizadeh said, declaring himself a “political dissident”. >>> | Saturday, September 11, 2010

Flag of Finland: Google Images
Broadband: The Finns Are Putting Us to Shame
THE TELEGRAPH: Is broadband a human right? The Finnish government thinks so. From today, all Finns have the right to at least a one megabit-per-second internet connection. That’s not staggeringly fast. The UK average internet speed, for example, is around 3.6mbps.

However, by 2015, the Finnish government is promising its people blazingly fast 100mbps connections. That leaves our government’s commitment to speeds of 2mbps for all by 2012 looking rather mediocre.

Almost the entire Finnish population is online – 96 per cent of them, in fact. Granted there are only 5.3 million people in Finland – fewer than live in London – but given that their country is one of Europe’s most sparsely-populated, managing to connect such a huge proportion is quite impressive. Continue reading and comment >>> Shane Richmond | Thursday, July 01, 2010

Finland: Internet Access a Legal Right