Perussuomalaiset (True Finns, in English), the main Finnish far-right party, has expelled the second vice president of its youth organization, Toni Jalonen, for openly claiming to be a "fascist."
The cessation of Jalonen was confirmed to the newspaper Uusi Suomi by Simo Grönroos, Secretary of the True Finns.
"Yes, this is the end of (his) membership in the party," Simo Grönroos said and Uusi Suomi reported.
The origin of the scandal is in a speech delivered by Jalonen during a seminar in Estonia. The event was attended by members of the True Finns and the Conservative People's Party of Estonia (Ekre).
During his speech, recorded on video and circulated widely on social media, Jalonen says: "Today, I am ethnic nationalist, traditionalist and fascist."
The public present at the event (limited, judging by the little noise they made) responded to his words with applause.
Tässä siis Toni Jalonen #persut Nuorpersujen johdosta tunnistautuu fasistiksi. pic.twitter.com/6cStDHaHqH
— Petra Nyqvist (@PetraNyqvist) February 23, 2020
The youth organization of the True Finns also shared on Sunday a photo of the event, showing Jalonen and another vice president with relevant members of the Estonian party Ekre.
Varapuheenjohtajamme Toni ja Tomer tapasivat Viron valtiovarainministerin Martin Helmen ja Riigikogun jäsenen Ruuben Kaalepin. #viro102 pic.twitter.com/VT2FCa37AB
— Perussuomalaiset Nuoret (@PS_Nuoret) February 23, 2020
The chairman of the Conservative People's Party of Estonia, the Minister of the Interior Mart Helme, also embarrassed his country a few months ago, when he mocked Finnish Prime Minister, Sanna Marin.
The President of Estonia, Kersti Kaljulaid had to call then her Finnish counterpart Sauli Niinistö to formally apologize for Helme's words.
