Far-right populist Finns Party

The parliamentary elections in Finland on Sunday turned out to be a real cliffhanger. Social Democratic Party (SDP) won the elections with a very narrow margin. Far-right populist, anti-immigration Finns Party (Perussuomalaiset) came surprisingly close to victory. (1)

Members of the Finns Party are known for their Euroscepticism, ethno-nationalism, xenophobia, anti-immigration stance, racism and Islamophobia. In 2012, Finnish Supreme Court ordered Jussi Halla-aho, current leader of the party, to pay fines for his Islamophobic blog posts dating back to year 2008. Halla-aho is well-known in the counter-jihad circles, his comments have been published for example on Gates of Vienna website. (2, 3) Sebastian Tynkkynen, new MP of the party, was convicted of incitement against an ethnic group and breaching religious peace in 2017 because of his anti-Islamic Facebook posts during summer 2016 (4). Ano Turtiainen, also new MP of the party, was fined for inciting violence against the Red Cross in 2018 (5). Teuvo Hakkarainen, veteran MP of the party, was fined because of his anti-Muslim comments on Facebook in 2017 (6). Olli Immonen and Juho Eerola, both MPs of the party, and Jussi Halla-aho have been members of Suomen Sisu, a far-right, enthnonationalistic, Nazi-spirited organization (7, 8). Immonen caused an uproar in 2015 with his Facebook post against multiculturalism:

“I’m dreaming of a strong, brave nation that will defeat this nightmare called multiculturalism. This ugly bubble that our enemies live in, will soon burst into a million little pieces. Our lives are entwined in a very harsh times. These are the days that will forever leave a mark on our nation’s future. I have strong belief in my fellow fighters. We will fight until the end for our homeland and one true Finnish nation. The victory will be ours.” (9)

Immonen’s post was compared to the manifesto of Norwegian mass-murderer Anders Breivik and Immonen happened to publish his post around the time of the anniversary of the terrorist attacks in Norway (10, 11). Laura Huhtasaari, MP of the party, seems to have become Finnish poster-girl for the far right. Huhtasaari is an admirer of President Trump and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and, alongside Jussi Halla-aho, one of the leading Islamophobes in Finland. Huhtasaari likes to imitate President Trump by using motto “Finland First.” (12, 13) When British far-right figure Katie Hopkins visited Finland with prominent counter-jihadist Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff in January (14), Hopkins arranged a live interview with Huhtasaari in Helsinki. During the interview, Huhtasaari repeated her motto “Finland First” as well as her Islamophobic and anti-immigration views. When Hopkins asked, who Huhtasaari would like to meet, Huhtasaari mentioned that she had already met Jordan B Peterson (Canadian far-right academic) and that she would like to meet Paul Joseph Watson (British far-right vlogger). When Hopkins asked again, who Huhtasaari would like to invite to Finland, she said she likes Nigel Farage (British far-right Brexiteer). (15)

References:

1) “SDP takes top spot, populists rally, heavy losses for PM’s Centre in Finnish election” YLE News 15.4.2019

https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/sdp_takes_top_spot_populists_rally_heavy_losses_for_pms_centre_in_finnish_election/10739392

2) “Supreme Court orders Halla-aho to pay for hate speech” YLE News 8.6.2012

https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/supreme_court_orders_halla-aho_to_pay_for_hate_speech/6171739

3) “Jussi Halla-aho” Gates of Vienna website

https://gatesofvienna.net/repression/jussi-hall-aho/

4) “Ex-Finns Party youth leader convicted of hate speech” YLE News 16.1.2017

https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/ex-finns_party_youth_leader_convicted_of_hate_speech/9406509

5) “Finns Party pol fined for inciting violence against Red Cross” YLE News 12.9.2018

https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/finns_party_pol_fined_for_inciting_violence_against_red_cross/10400019

6) “Three Finns Party politicians in court over online hate speech” YLE News 4.1.2017

https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/three_finns_party_politicians_in_court_over_online_hate_speech/9388039

7) “Three anti-immigration PS MPs will pay Hirvisaari’s fine for hate speech” Migrant Tales 1.3.2012

http://www.migranttales.net/three-anti-immigration-ps-mps-will-pay-hirvisaaris-fine-for-hate-speech/

8) “What is Suomen Sisu?” Varis 13.12.2018

https://varisverkosto.com/2018/12/what-is-suomen-sisu/

9) “Finns Party Member Olli Immonen Wants to End the Nightmare Called ‘Multiculturalism’” Finland Today 26.7.2015

https://finlandtoday.fi/finns-party-member-olli-immonen-wants-to-end-the-nightmare-called-multiculturalism/

10) “PM: ‘I cannot accept Immonen’s remarks'” YLE News 26.7.2015

https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/pm_i_cannot_accept_immonens_remarks/8182347

11) “Norway attacks: at least 92 killed in Oslo and Utoya island” The Guardian 23.7.2011

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/jul/23/norway-attacks

12) “WARNING: ISLAMOPHOBIC CONTENT – Laura Huhtasaari (Suomen Uutiset)” Migrant Tales 14.1.2019

http://www.migranttales.net/warning-islamophobic-content-laura-huhtasaari-suomen-uutiset/

13) “A Guide To The Far-Right Power Players Tearing Europe Apart” Huffington Post 25.8.2018

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/guide-far-right-players-europe_n_5b7bf18ee4b0a5b1febee47a

14) “With Katie Hopkins and Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff in Oulu” Tundra Tabloids 14.1.2019

http://tundratabloids.com/2019/01/14/with-katie-hopkins-and-elisabeth-sabaditsch-wolff-in-oulu/

15) Katie Hopkins interviews Laura Huhtasaari

https://youtu.be/XtgGVTFkQoE

“Time for some structured anarchy” – British hard-line Brexiteers preparing to fight for Brexit

With less than three weeks to the official Brexit day, Prime Minister May is expected to face another defeat on Tuesday, when the parliament will vote on her Brexit deal proposal. The hard-line Brexiteers are getting ready to fight for Brexit. The hard-liners also seem to want to polish their image.

Boris Johnson wrote on The Telegraph on the 24th of February:

“…I am getting sick of the constant suggestion that anyone who sticks up for Brexit must have far Right tendencies. I can’t understand why people are suddenly claiming that anyone who wants to get out of the EU – and follow the instructions of the British people – is a zealot, or an extremist, or Ukip, or Blukip, or some kind of ultra-conservative bigot. Where is this stuff coming from?” (1)

Johnson himself has become infamous for his racist and Islamophobic remarks. Last year he caused an uproar by comparing veiled Muslim women to “letter boxes” and “bank robbers.” Bizarrely, Johnson was not considered to have breached the Conservative Party’s code of conduct. (2)

Last Tuesday, chairman of the European Research Group ERG Jacob Rees-Mogg once again accused May’s government and the Remainers of trying to block Brexit. He wrote in The Sun:

“…the extreme Remainers do not just want an extension — they want reversal (i.e. of Brexit referendum) and see this as a first step.

It is worth remembering that those who love the European Union prefer it to democracy and always have done.”

“…the Government must prove that it is committed to the referendum result, for that is the authoritative constitutional voice.

No responsible government ought to allow the constitution to be subverted because of its own weaknesses. The conventions are there for good reasons and, if ignored, confidence in the system that has served well for centuries will be damaged — with consequences that could include the rise of extremist parties. Failure to deliver Brexit would be a gift to Tommy Robinson.” (3)

Leave Means Leave campaigner Nigel Farage tweeted yesterday that “it’s time for some structured anarchy.” He also advertised March To Leave campaign and “historic rally of Brexiteers” on Parliament Square, London, on the 29th of March. (4)

References:

1) “Brexiteers are not far-Right zealots. Just ask the younger Tony Blair” The Telegraph 24.2.2019

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/02/24/brexiteers-not-far-right-zealots-just-ask-younger-tony-blair/

2) “Conservatives rule Boris Johnson comparing Muslim women in veils to letter boxes and bank robbers was ‘respectful'” The Independent 21.12.2018

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-cleared-burka-niqab-bank-robber-letterboxes-conservative-party-a8693761.html

3) “We the people have spoken on Brexit… let us now have have lift-off ” The Sun 5.3.2019

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/8570432/jacob-ress-mogg-people-have-spoken-on-brexit/

4) Nigel Farage on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/nigel_farage

More bad news for Britain

As Brexit is getting closer, political disintegration seems to continue in Britain. Jeremy Hosking, a multimillionaire financier, has registered a new party Brexit Express in order to support “hard Brexit” – the move increases the risk that the Conservative Party may split (1). Today seven MPs resigned from the Labour Party. According to them, the British politics is “broken” and the Labour Party has been taken over by “hard left.” They also criticized the leader of the Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, as well as “antisemitism” and “racism” in the party. (2) One of the defectors, Luciana Berger, accused Labour Party of “institutional antisemitism” (3). Another defector, Angela Smith, caused a racism row by saying that members of ethnic minorities are of a “funny tinge” (4).

The British organization Hope not Hate published their annual “State of Hate Report.” According to the report, “Britain is increasingly divided and that is likely to increase” whatever happens with Brexit. There is also a growing risk of far right terrorism and increasing support for far right. The report also states that “anti-Muslim prejudice has replaced immigration as the key driver of far right growth”, but also attitudes towards immigration “are deteriorating.” The report also pays attention to the antisemitism problem in the Labour Party. On the other hand, Islamophobia seems to have become a significant problem in the Conservative Party. According to the report, “49% of 2017 Conservative voters think that Islam is incompatible to the British way of life and 47% think there are no go areas in Britain where sharia law dominates and non-Muslims cannot enter.” (5)

References:

1) “No-dealers dig in for a fresh battle amid fears of Tory split” The Guardian 17.2.2019

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/feb/17/no-deal-brexiters-tory-split-conservative-multimillionaire-donor-new-party

2) “In their own words: why seven MPs are quitting Labour” The Guardian 18.2.2019

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/feb/18/in-their-own-words-why-seven-mps-are-quitting-labour-independent-group

3) “MP says UK Labour is ‘institutionally anti-Semitic’ as 7 lawmakers quit party” The Times of Israel 18.2.2019

https://www.timesofisrael.com/mp-says-uks-labour-institutionally-anti-semitic-as-7-lawmakers-quit-party/

4) “Britain’s newest political group isn’t even a day old. It’s already been accused of racism” The Washington Post 18.2.2019

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2019/02/18/britains-newest-political-group-isnt-even-day-old-its-already-accused-racism/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.4b46f4e89b8d

5) “State of Hate Report 2019” – Hope not Hate 17.2.2019

https://www.hopenothate.org.uk/research/state-of-hate-report-2019/

Lessons from Weimar

Germany’s government marked the centenary of the Weimar Republic and Germany’s first democratic constitution, yesterday. At its time, the Weimar Constitution was very liberal and progressive, but it also had some fatal flaws that helped Adolf Hitler to rise to power in 1933. Chancellor Angela Merkel said that “every generation must once again struggle for democracy.” She added that present-day Europe has drawn lessons from Weimar and the “terrible” Nazi era. Stephan Harbarth, the vice-president of Germany’s top court, said:

“The failure of the Weimar Republic must… remind us… to counter those who seek to eliminate freedom and democracy, consistently and at an early stage.” (1)

Germany has had problems with far-right movements and parties during recent years, most notably because of anti-Islam movement PEGIDA and far-right party “Alternative for Germany” AfD. According to some recent polls, AfD has lost some support, but it is still in the fourth place with 12-13 per cent support (2, 3). Internal differences in AfD have lead to birth of far-right splinter groups. Frauke Petry, former co-head of AfD, formed “The Blue Party” (Die blaue Partei) in 2017 (4). André Poggenburg criticized AfD for “shifting to the left” and formed a new group “Awakening of German Patriots” AdP last month (5). The support of the other far-right parties seems to be minimal compared to AfD.

References:

1) “Germany marks 100 years since Weimar Constitution” Deutsche Welle 6.2.2019

https://www.dw.com/en/germany-marks-100-years-since-weimar-constitution/a-47379754

2) “Politbarometer Januar II 2019” Forschungsgruppe.de 25.1.2019

http://www.forschungsgruppe.de/Aktuelles/Politbarometer/

3) “Wenn am nächsten Sonntag Bundestagswahl wäre…” Sonntagsfrage – Forsa 2.2.2019

https://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/forsa.htm

4) “Former leader of Germany’s far-right kicks off new ‘Blue Party'” Reuters 12.10.2017

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-germany-politics-afd/former-leader-of-germanys-far-right-kicks-off-new-blue-party-idUSKBN1CH315

5) “New far-right German party adopts former secret Nazi symbol” The Guardian 11.1.2019

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jan/11/new-far-right-german-party-adopts-former-secret-nazi-symbol

Tensions and hate crimes in Brexit Britain

Britain’s decision to leave the European Union has turned out to be a chaotic cliffhanger. Brexit has divided the nation, it has torn apart political parties and even families. Britain has also seen significant rise of far-right populism, xenophobia, racism and hate crimes. According to statistics published by the police in England and Wales, over 94 000 hate crime offences were recorded during 2017/18, an increase of 17 % compared to the previous year. The increase during 2016/17 was even greater, 29 %. The number of hate crimes recorded by the police has more than doubled since 2012/13. Even though the increase can be partially explained by improvements in crime recording by the police, there have been clear “spikes” in hate crime after the EU Referendum in 2016 and after the terrorist attacks in 2017 (1, 2, 3, 4).

One form of far-right populism has been the increasingly aggressive activity against politicians and other people who support the Remain option. Tory MP Anna Soubry was intimidated and abused by British far-right mobsters and supporters of Brexit on Monday. The pro-Brexit protesters called remain-backing Soubry “a Nazi”. Mrs Soubry was harassed and intimidated the same way already in December last year (5). Other people harassed on Monday were journalist Owen Jones from The Guardian and Femi Oluwole, chief spokesperson for Our Future, Our Choice. Mr. Oluwole condemned the abuse and threatening behavior of the pro-Brexit protesters. He added:

“Plenty of people around the country are frustrated with the Brexit process – and all but a tiny minority continue to engage in reasonable democratic debate. This debate is absolutely crucial given the vastly different and country-defining options the UK faces. We must be able to have it without feeling like some options are unacceptable because a tiny minority of people are willing to go further, and shout louder, than everyone else. The answer to the far right cannot be to give in. We have never, and will never, let them dictate the terms of debate. When they argue for less democracy, we must call for more.”

However, Mr. Oluwole also condemned aggressive verbal attacks of far-left activists:

“…there’s a key difference between intense political discourse and gratuitous abuse, no matter where you are on the spectrum.” (6)

References:

1) Hate crime, England and Wales, 2017 to 2018 Home Office Statistical Bulletin 20/18

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/748598/hate-crime-1718-hosb2018.pdf

2) “Hate crimes soared after EU referendum, Home Office figures confirm” The Guardian 13.10.2016

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/oct/13/hate-crimes-eu-referendum-home-office-figures-confirm

3) “Hate-crime reports rise by almost a third in a year as Home Office figures illustrate EU-referendum spike” The Independent 17.10.2017

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/hate-crimes-eu-referendum-spike-brexit-terror-attacks-police-home-office-europeans-xenophobia-a8004716.html

4) “Hate crime surge linked to Brexit and 2017 terrorist attacks” The Guardian 16.10.2018

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/oct/16/hate-crime-brexit-terrorist-attacks-england-wales

5) “MPs raise safety fears with police after Anna Soubry subjected to ‘Nazi’ chants” The Guardian 7.1.2019

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/jan/07/john-bercow-urges-police-to-do-more-after-nazi-taunts-against-anna-soubry

6) “I was harassed outside parliament. These thugs must not stifle Brexit debate” The Guardian 9.1.2019

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jan/09/harassment-mps-parliament-stifle-brexit-debate-femi-oluwole

Katie Hopkins promotes far-right event in Finland

Katie Hopkins, the British poster-girl for far-right, has been promoting far-right event called “Awakening II” which will take place in Finland in April. The event will feature notorious American antisemite Kevin MacDonald and equally notorious American white supremacist Jared Taylor, who also took part to the first “Awakening” conference in Finland, last year (1). The event will also feature Ukrainian far-right activist Olena Semenyaka, Swedish-Icelandic alt-right figure Frodi Midjord, Austrian writer Martin Semlitsch (aka Martin Lichtmesz) and Jasmina Ollikainen, a member of HAPSU, a student association which is a member of the Finns Party Youth, the youth-wing of the Finns Party (2).

Read the full story on Hope not Hate website:

https://www.hopenothate.org.uk/2019/01/03/katie-hopkins-promotes-far-right-event-featuring-infamous-antisemite/

Other references:

1)”A secretive far-right event in Helsinki on Sunday: International speakers united by anti-semitism and misogyny” Varisverkosto.com 4.4.2018

https://varisverkosto.com/2018/04/a-secretive-far-right-event-in-helsinki-on-sunday-international-speakers-united-by-anti-semitism-and-misogyny/

2) Information about HAPSU

https://www.ps-nuoret.fi/hapsu/in-english/