Finland’s new economic affairs minister and member of the nationalist Finns Party, Vilhelm Junnila, survived a confidence vote in parliament on Wednesday.
MPs votes on the measure fell 95-86 with three abstentions and 15 absences.
The confidence vote was called by three opposition parties, the Left Alliance, Green and Social Democratic parties, due to Junnila’s previous controversial statements and links to far-right groups.
Seven Swedish People’s Party MPs voted against Junnila, with the other three abstaining. Three National Coalition MPs were absent for the vote, but the other government party MPs voted their confidence in the controversial politician.
Junnila has joked about his election number (88) referencing ‘Heil Hitler’, campaigned at an election under the “gas” slogan and spoken at at least one event organised by a far-right group.
The recently-appointed minister apologised last week for his comments and actions, following two days of media controversy about the matter.
MPs also voted on the government programme, with 106 voting to support it, 78 voting against, and one abstention. 15 legislators were away for that vote.
I’ll never understand the appeal of nazism.
It provides easy targets for all frustration and anger people have.
If he was elected, and wasn’t doing a bad job (at economy stuff), what reason was there to call a vote of confidence?
If anything this ironically sheds an undemocratic light in the leftist parties…
??? Do you think the average voter cares that much? That the average voter looks at a track record of any politician? Ever heard of propaganda? The thing Nazis are the best at…
