The far-right True Finns party (Perussuomalaiset, in Finnish) is back in the headlines for its connections to racist and anti-immigration statements. If a week ago MP Ano Turtianinen made world news for mocking the death at the hands of the police of the US citizen George Floyd, now Suomen Perusta Foundation, which acts as a think-tank for the party led by Jussi Halla-aho, has published a book that scandalized the government.
The case was reported on Twitter by the Minister of Science and Culture, Hanna Kosonen, after reviewing the text written by PhD Jukka Hankamäki and promoted by the foundation on its website.
"Women's tyranny"
The book 'Truth Excites – A Philosophical Study of the Information and Truth Crisis in the Left-Wing Populist Media’ has a section entitled 'Women's tyranny and the socialization of sexuality' that has embarrassed the government.
According to Kosonen, the Ministry of Science and Culture is investigating whether said publication contradicts the conditions established for receiving state funds.
Among other things, Hankamäki establishes a connection between an alleged feminine frustration and the fact of mating with foreigners by ensuring that some Finnish women who have been rejected by Finnish men have "wanted revenge on Finnish society by mating with a foreigner."
"Cruel and disturbing"
"The excerpts I see from the publication are cruel and disturbing, and far from my own image of people," Minister Kosonen said.
Minister Kosonen explains that one of the criteria that entities must meet in order to become beneficiaries of the sate subsidies is "promoting equality and non-discrimination."
The authorities - explains the minister - can ask the beneficiaries to explain the use of the grants, whose reimbursement may be demanded if the above mentioned criteria are not met. And in this case, "it seems clear that the publication does not meet this obligation," Kosonen says on Twitter.
Suomen Perusta defines itself as a "Finnish political think tank" whose main areas of interest are "immigration/multiculturalism, European integration and economics."
The controversial book's publication was suspended for a "re-evaluation," the foundation said in its website shortly after the case prompted rejection by the Finnish government.
Soon after, the leaders of True Finns also decided to intervene. In a statement published on its website, the far-right party acknowledged being "connected" with the foundation. But they also tried to mark distance with the work of researchers who produce materials for the think-tank.
"The publications of the think-tank are not the party's statements or programs, and they should not be interpreted as such," said Jussi Halla-aho , the chair of the Perussuomalaiset, and Riikka Purra, vice chair.
However, Halla-aho himself was present last Monday at the launch of the book, backing the author.
Jussi Halla-aho (r), during the launch of the book. Image: @Dimmu141/Twitter.
