(Helsinki) Finland’s new government unveiled its government roadmap on Friday, promising tougher immigration and handing over the portfolio to the far-right party.
“I am delighted that with our partners [ … ] we agreed around [ … ] a paradigm shift in migration policy,” Riikka Purra, leader of the far-right Party of Finns, told reporters.
The Party of the Finns (former “True Finns”) obtained seven ministerial posts, including that of the Interior, which oversees immigration issues.
Finland “is the only Nordic country” not to have tightened the screw on immigration, assured the leader of the Party of Finns. “That will change now.”
Among the main measures is a tightening of the conditions for obtaining a permanent residence permit or citizenship. Residence permits granted under international protection will be temporary and their duration equal to the minimum in force within the European Union.
“In the future, international protection may be revoked if (the person in question) goes on vacation in his country of origin,” she further specified, stressing that family reunification will also be made more difficult.
The government program also provides for an overhaul of the social benefits system, the aim being to create two different social security systems for immigrants on the one hand and permanent residents on the other.
Another aspect dear to the Party of Finns, which blamed the country’s immigrant population: gang-related crime. A new law will be introduced, increasing the penalties related to these criminal activities.
“Cuts”
After nearly two months of tumultuous negotiations, Prime Minister-designate Petteri Orpo, leader of the conservative party that won the April legislative elections, formed a government coalition with the Finns Party, the far-right party that came second, as well as than two other small right-wing parties.
The coalition talks, which began on May 2 and usually last on average a month, have been longer due to differences especially on climate policy and immigration, but also on development aid.
But Petteri Orpo appears to have eased off on the immigration issue to secure support for his six billion euro austerity package — his main campaign promise.
“We had to make cuts and savings even where it hurt. But at the same time, we are making our future better,” Mr. Orpo argued.
The four parties have 108 of the 200 seats in parliament.
The right has already governed with the Party of Finns (ex-True Finns) between 2015 and 2017, the date of a split within the eurosceptic formation which had resulted in a harder line.
In 2021, around 8.5% of Finland’s population, or 470,000 people, were of foreign origin.