HELSINKI, Finland – Vilhelm Junnila, Finland’s Economy Minister, resigned on Friday, June 30, 2023 after a brief 10-day stint in office, following a furore over past comments linked to Nazi symbolism.
Junnila’s departure came after a vote of no confidence was initiated against him on June 28, which he managed to survive.
“For the continuation of the government and the reputation of Finland, I see that it is impossible for me to continue as a minister in a satisfactory way,” stated Junnila in a somber announcement.
The controversy was fueled by Junnila’s earlier statements, including an incident during his election campaign where he made a reference to the number 88, a known neo-Nazi symbol.
According to Finland’s public broadcaster YLE, Junnila congratulated a fellow party member on his candidate number, 88, with a seemingly knowing nod to its Nazi connotations.
He was quoted saying, “First of all, congratulations for the excellent candidate number. I know it’s a winning card. Obviously, this ’88’ refers to two H letters which we won’t say more about.”
The Green League, an opposition party, was instrumental in raising the issue, accusing Junnila of having repeated associations with far-right movements.
“The connections to far-right movements are not a single mistake, misunderstanding or bad humour, but rather repeated, systematic and comradely liaison,” declared Green League MP Hanna Holopainen, who proposed the no-confidence motion.
In contrast, Riikka Purra, chairwoman of the nationalist Finns Party to which Junnila belongs, took to Twitter to defend him. She charged the opposition with exploiting Junnila’s “bad and ill-suited” humor as a pretext for political maneuvering.
In the wake of the intensifying scrutiny, Junnila issued an apology, characterizing his words as a distasteful joke. “I condemn holocaust, antisemitism and all antisemitic acts completely,” he affirmed through social media.
The Finns Party, known for its euroskeptic and anti-immigration stance, emerged as the second-largest party with 20.1 percent of the vote in the April elections, closely trailing the National Coalition Party (NCP) which secured 20.8 percent.
The NCP went on to form a coalition government with the Finns Party and two other parties.
Junnila’s resignation comes as a blow to the fledgling coalition, with concerns raised about the vetting process and the broader implications this episode may have on the stability and reputation of Finland’s government.
