Most of True Finn members racist, study finds

According to an opinion poll published in Helsingin Sanomat, a majority True Finn supporters agree with the following statement:

"People of certain races are unsuited for life in a modern society."

Another opinion poll by Taloustutkimus published in Iltalehti found that 72% of True Finn supporters want Finland to stay in the Eurozone, and a similar percentage want them to remain in the European Union.

Timo Soini, Leader of the True Finns, looking awkward

So what are we to make of this? Clearly the eurosceptic aspect of the True Finn party is greatly exaggerated. It seems to not be the major driving force behind the party. We can certainly draw some conclusions about the motivations of the "Immigration Critical" wing of the party, led by blogger and popular racist Jussi Halla-aho.

The President of Finland, Tarja Halonen commented on the findings of the poll by saying that racist people "seem to be drawn towards voting for the True Finns." MP Jussi Halla-aho was quick to point out on his blog that "Friends of GDR seem to be drawn towards voting for Tarja Halonen." President Halonen, a Social Democrat, has been elected President twice after previously serving in three ministerial posts and consistently gets an approval rating in excess of 80%, while MP Halla-aho has an illustrious two year career in the board of directors for Helsinki Zoo.

Leader of the True Finn party, Timo Soini has thus far declined to comment, saying that opinion polls are not a good gauge of opinion and re-iterating his previous stance of not personally being racist. For someone non-racist he certainly likes to actively seek out the company of racists. He also leads an organisation that plainly caters to racists and does not mind benefiting from racists voting for his party. One can assume that either he is lying about not being racist or (more likely) he is morally corrupt to the point of having no guiding principles in his political life and will seize on to any idea no matter how abhorrent if it gets his party a few extra votes. Does it make him any different from other politicians? Maybe not. Call me an idealist but surely the point of leading a political party vanishes if the program of the party consists only of an attempt to get as many votes as possible.

Timo Soini on Fox News

Timo Soini got interviewed on the fair and balanced Fox News last week. If you want to hear what a thick Finnish accent sounds like you might be a bit interested. Don't get your hopes up for great political genius though.

Soini ready to accept Portugal bailout

In a surprise announcement on Finnish YLE TV1, the anti-EU, anti-euro True Finn leader Timo Soini stated he is willing to approve support to Portugal, if it means he will get into the governing coalition. Looks like the famous Soini opportunism scores one for the common good for once. Soini had earlier stated that he would "in no circumstances" accept "any kind of bailout for Portugal or any other indebted nation" but hey, this is his only shot at a ministerial post, ever. He's not going to pass that up.

Soini said there is no way to keep the position they had prior to the elections, which unsurprisingly is causing quite a bit of a stir in the rank and file of True Finn members, who are now openly calling their once-infallible leader a turncoat. At least online, that is. I have previously blogged about the challenge facing Soini in keeping control of a party with practically no official party line, and very powerful internal anti-EU, anti-immigrant factions. It remains to be seen if Soini is up to the task, but we are most definitely going to see some unusual political maneuvres in the party's internal politics.

I love the EU and the Portugal bailout is a dream come true!

Soini did not comment on his possible presidential candidacy, saying its a matter to be decided either in the True Finn party general assembly in June or more likely later in autumn. The former speaker of parliament, Sauli Niinistö of the ruling National Coalition party meanwhile seems a shoo-in for president in 2012, with the newspaper Ilta-Sanomat getting a whopping 56% support for him in their poll. If I was to make a prediction, they're going to run a anti-immigrant candidate to satisfy the powerful halla-ahoist racist fringe, not get past the first round of presidential election and support Sauli Niinistö in the second.

Please welcome Teuvo Hakkarainen

The True Finns have a new man of the people, who's been busy making waves all over the news, and it's only his third day! Teuvo Hakkarainen, a newly elected lumberjack cum MP from Keski-Suomi constituency is anything but ok.

Dressed to impress, first day in office

His first day in office he was trailed by the Helsingin Sanomat, and they recorded and subsequently released a video, which I just found some kind soul has even subtitled in English! Enjoy.

Showing up to parliament looking hung over in a crumpled suit and the loosest tie, rambling incoherently about "nig**rs" was only the beginning, though. For most Finnish middle-aged men it would probably mean a short trip to the local police station, but getting elected does have its few perks. His comments prompted a Finnish footballer with immigrant backround to threaten to kick his ass the next time he sees him, and Hakkarainen swiftly made  a personal apology. You might be interested as to why such a colourful person gets elected and the reason appears to be: his name was the first in the True Finn list of candidates in his constituency.

Then it came to light that Haka-Wood, the lumber yard he owns received €461,750 of support from the European Union's development fund. He has on his internet pages previously described the European Union as a "system of slavery" and "economic bondage" and is reportedly very much against bailing out countries like Portugal and Greece who don't pull their own weight. His lumber yard is also several hundreds of thousands into the red for a few years now, and has suspiciously caught fire several times in recent years. Six times to be precise. Gosh I hope he was insured...

I wish Teuvo Hakkarainen a very productive four years in parliament, and I sincerely hope that he proves to be every bit as colourful as his first three days lead me to expect.

Halla-Aho takes lead of parliamentary committee, so does Niinistö

Every single news outlet reported today that Finland has its first openly racist leader of a major parliamentary committee. The governmental committee in charge of things such as immigration, weapons policy and police force will be chaired by none other than our friend, blogger and popular racist Jussi Halla-Aho. Another confirmed committee chair from the True Finns is Jussi Niinistö who will chair the defence committee. No argument here about Niinistö, whose credentials in matters military or political can hardly be questioned. His judgment maybe, but not his credentials.

*places hand on forehead* "It is... relieved"

But all may not be as bleak as it seems, since this most likely means that the easy path into ministership ends here for Halla-Aho. It is not possible for one to hold a committee chairmanship as well as a ministerial seat in the Finnish system. It is expected that the True Finn leader Timo Soini, who is at this writing the chair of the foreign relations committee, will resign his seat in order to take up a ministerial role in the near future, but Halla-Aho blogged recently in a rare moment of honest introspection that he would not in fact be qualified for a ministerial role. According to his post he prefers to stay quote unquote behind the scenes. And it is there where he truly belongs, I'm inclined to add. In all seriousness though, let's do as Halla-Aho's blog requests and not contact him or criticise him. In fact, let's forget all about him and let him become a faceless bureaucrat in a machine he pretends to rage against.

In fact it is not likely that Jussi Halla-Aho will influence Finland's immigration policy much at all. His post as a committee chair will only grant him influence in as much as getting a deciding vote in case of a tied vote. And even then, his proposed policies would be subject to parliamentary scrutiny and should it come to that, an open vote. If I was to make a prediction, the new National Coalition led coalition will get rid of the immigration ministry entirely, probably merging it with either the ministry of interior or foreign ministry and call it prudence. Should this be the case, the 'halla-ahoist' anti-immigrationist fringe will be contained for at least another four years, perhaps forgotten entirely.

Several important parliamentary committees to be chaired by the True Finns

Helsingin Sanomat reported today that several of the more influential committees in the Finnish Parliament is to be chaired by the True Finn party. These include the committee of international relations, defence committee and the governmental committee on police and rescue services. Thus far only confirmed chairperson in the True Finn headed committees is Timo Soini, who will be in charge of the international relations committee.

This development gives the True Finn party a much greater influence in matters of immigration, police services, border control and national defence among others. The parliamentary committees include members from every major party, and the purpose of the parliamentary committees is to prepare the legislation to be passed on to the general assembly for approval. There are 16 permanent committees in the Finnish Parliament.

Soini's conversion confirmed - Halla-Aho ready to split party

Helsingin Sanomat published today the actual comments word for word made by the True Finns' supposed anti-immigrationist, anti-euro leader Timo Soini. And here they are. Make your own mind up about how "twisted and misinterpreted" these comments were by people saying he's accepting the current government line. And bring me some popcorn while you're at it!

Question: Finnish values are important for you, which are those?

Soini: Honesty, hard work, Finnish traditions and also friendship. Everbody is welcome here and we like people. I am, if I am not most international chairman of the whole lot, I am in top three, I am the only one who is working abroad. I have been now being a member of the European Union Parliament. I am also catholic by my religion so I know how the catholic world is thinking and by that I know very many foreign peoples so that is not a problem. But this political uprise here is not because of the immigration. It is because of the (...) fundings in the old and tired parties, which has been going on since 2007 and then of course this Euro, pensions, energy, very many other issues. Immigration is not even talked – not in that panel either – downstairs. And also in all TV-panels, nothing!

Q:  Do you think there are too many foreigners in Finland?

Soini: Of course not.

Q: But you have people in your party that have very hard views on immigration.

Soini: There are some. We have thousands and thousands of members and 240 candidates and maybe 10 people who are having this tougher line. That`s true, yes.

Q: What would you like to change in Finnish immigration policy?

Soini: It has been tightened a lot, because of the pressure from the opposition and also by national coalition party. Has been very good in fact that for example now the number of asylum seekers has collapsed, so the legislation correcting the current shortcomings on this issues have been functioning. I am rather pleased that the situation is now very good.

Q: But would you like to strengthen something if you be in the government?

Soini: I will say that we will follow the government line, that if you are OK with --- for example you are coming and seeking asylum here: if you are meeting the criteria, welcome!

And then blogger and popular racist Halla-Aho's reaction, which is a lol all unto itself:

"I've been betrayed from the start!"

I order you to close your eyes and ears, for we are at war and the enemy is trying to tear our forces apart. Verily, it is for the best to stop reading magazines and turn off your television in these final days. That is, unless you have already cast your vote in the early voting. The True Finn party line can be seen in our manifesto, and Soini's line is readily available online. My line is simple and clear to all my followers. This is what is at stake, in this election...

It has been speculated even before this revelation that Halla-Aho's racist fringe (containing some "colorful characters") is going to split away from the party after the election.  This all but confirms it. We will see if that personal oath of loyalty Soini had his troops pledge to him will come in any use. In other good news today the True Finns polled at their lowest this year, 15.4%. Looks like the downfall has finally come, and its just left to see whether it is Soini or Halla-Aho in the bunker.