According to Politico, Finland’s new foreign minister, Elina Valtonen, confirmed the government’s pro-European stance with the publication of their political programme, allowing Brussels to set aside concerns about the Finnish far-right’s push to leave the EU.
The Finns Party, founded in 1995 as the True Finns, became the second most voted party in Finland’s national elections, securing 20% of votes. The party, rooted in the anti-establishment Finnish Rural Party, has shifted from ultraconservative views to far-right anti-immigration and anti-EU positions.
Valtonen emphasized the need for consensus on the government programme while acknowledging that not all coalition parties will agree. She admitted the Finns Party’s EU exit aspirations as a “long-term goal” but doubted their ability to achieve this during the next four years.
During a recent conference in Tampere, Jussi Halla-aho, the presidential candidate of the Finns Party, reiterated his goal to exit the EU. However, key party members, including Halla-aho, acknowledge that a fragmented EU could hinder support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression. Valtonen pointed out this would discourage the Finns Party from immediately pushing for a Finnish departure from the EU. She emphasized that the recent invasion demonstrated the importance of EU unity in supporting Ukraine, which resonates positively with the Finnish public.
In April last year, the party left the nationalist Identity and Democracy (ID) group due to its pro-Russia stance and ties to Vladimir Putin. It rejoined the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group.
The Finns Party cited Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and a need to re-examine international cooperation networks as reasons for the change in the group. The party aims to align with Western defense and European security.
