Language: English
09-20, 20:00–21:15 (Europe/Berlin), Henny-Brenner-Saal
Updates on new government in Finland by Antti Rautiainen
In spring of 2023, after center-left government of Sanna Marin was defeated in Finnish elections, leader of neoliberal National Coalition party invited right-wing populist Perussuomalaiset (Finns, literal translation Basic Finns) -party to form the most right-wing government in Finland since 1920’s. Since then, multiple protest movements have arisen in Finland, against austerity, anti-immigrant and anti-labor measures of the government, and revealed racist messages and cooperation of right-wing populist with Nazis. Labour unions declared wave of strikes, including halting of most Finnish foreign trade for 1 month in spring of 2024.
However, this far protest movements have gained only minor victories. How history of the right-wing populism in Finland explains its relatively easy access to positions of power? What are lessons of the 2023-2024 protest movement in Finland for movements in other countries, struggling against rise of the right-wing populism and far right?