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Päivi Räsänen

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Päivi Räsänen
Räsänen in 2015
Minister of the Interior of Finland
In office
22 June 2011 – 29 May 2015
Prime MinisterJyrki Katainen
Alexander Stubb
Preceded byAnne Holmlund
Succeeded byPetteri Orpo
Member of the Finnish Parliament
Incumbent
Assumed office
1995
Chairperson of the Finnish Christian Democrats
In office
2 October 2004 – 28 August 2015
Preceded byBjarne Kallis
Succeeded bySari Essayah
Personal details
Born (1959-12-19) 19 December 1959 (age 64)
Sonkajärvi, Northern Savonia, Finland
Political partyChristian Democrats
Children5
OccupationPhysician
ProfessionLicentiate in Medicine
WebsiteOfficial website

Päivi Maria Räsänen, née Kuvaja (born 19 December 1959, in Sonkajärvi, Finland[1]), is a Finnish politician. The chairwoman of the Christian Democrats from 2004 to 2015, she was the Minister of the Interior of Finland between 2011 and 2015.[2]

A physician by education, Räsänen entered politics in the early 1990s, running for parliament in 1991. She has been in the Riihimäki City Council since 1993, and in the Finnish Parliament since 1995. She was elected the chairperson of the Christian Democrats on 2 October 2004.[3] Following the government formation after the 2011 election, which led to the Christian Democrats joining the government, Räsänen was nominated by the party as the Minister of the Interior in the 72nd Finnish Cabinet led by Jyrki Katainen,[4] and she was inaugurated along with the government on 22 June 2011.[2]

Career and political positions

Räsänen has been characterized as a conservative. In 2004, she authored a small theological booklet concerning sexual related topics.[5] In 2020, the head of a church body which distributed the booklet was investigated for incitement under 2011 changes to a minority protection law.[6]

On 12 October 2010, Räsänen was one of the participants on a live TV debate on Ajankohtainen kakkonen's Homoilta special, with the topic of same-sex marriage and LGBT rights. As a protest, nearly 40,000 members left the state Evangelical Lutheran Church through the website eroakirkosta.fi over the next several weeks. At the time, this was the largest of such protests.[7][8] Räsänen was on the show representing her party and herself as a Christian individual along with five other proponents of heterosexual rather than homosexual marriage. The church membership resignations were attributed by the media as a protest against her and then-Minister of Culture and Sports Stefan Wallin.[9] Räsänen thinks homosexual acts are a sin[10] and she herself does not consider her views "specifically extreme".[11]

When interviewed by Ylioppilaslehti on 29 October 2010, Räsänen said that she would favor Christians over Muslims when selecting asylum seekers to Finland due, in her opinion, to Muslims' "difficulties to adjust to the Finnish culture".[12] Her comments were condemned as "incomprehensible and merciless" by then-Minister of Migration and European Affairs Astrid Thors and then-Minister of Culture and Sports Stefan Wallin.[13] Räsänen responded to the criticism, saying her comments were misinterpreted, since she did not consider religion as the main criterion for asylum seekers' admissions, but instead she wanted to highlight the benefits of refugees' integration through religious connections.[14] In practice, as minister in charge of immigration affairs Räsänen has advocated for increasing the number of refugees taken in by Finland, especially from Syria.[15]

In September 2012, Räsänen appointed a religiously conservative applicant, considered less qualified by the media, among six candidates to Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Interior Affairs, which created considerable debate, especially as she had previously condemned political appointments of government officials.[16]

During parliamentary proceedings for Finland's application to join NATO, Räsänen stated:[17]

At great turning points in history, it has taken determination and courage to act, but also humility in the face of the unknown. It is known that the human equipment of the most effective is limited. "Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain." That is why even today we need the same protection that Mannerheim reminded in his daily devotional order: "May God protect Finland."

Trial

In 2019, she was investigated for incitement after criticizing the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland's official participation in LGBT Pride celebration events.[18] In April 2021, Finnish Prosecutor General Raija Toiviainen announced that three separate charges of incitement against a minority group were being filed against her.[19] The charges fell under a chapter of Finnish law which criminalizes "war crimes and crimes against humanity" and each charge can result in a prison sentence up to two years.[20] The first part of her trial was held on 24 January 2022[21] and the second part of her trial was held on 14 February.[22] The trial attracted international media, and the statements and testimonies of both the first[23] and second[24] parts of the trial and also the court's decision[25] was live-blogged in English by Christian Network Europe. Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland bishop Juhana Pohjola was tried along with Räsänen; Pohjola was tried as the publisher of the 2004 booklet. At the start of the proceedings, the prosecution asked for a day-fine of at least 120 days for Räsänen, 60 days for Pohjola, and a community fine of at least 10,000 euros for the Luther Foundation. An additional demand from the prosecution was for the Luther Foundation to remove the text of Räsänen's pamphlet from the internet and for the Finnish public broadcasting company Yle to remove certain passages from Ruben Stiller’s radio interview with panelists discussing the question of "What would Jesus think of homosexuals?".[26]

Representatives of 45 Lutheran church bodies called on the Finnish government to not prosecute her.[27] She was likewise supported by the European Evangelical Alliance and the Spanish Evangelical Alliance.[28] Five senators from the United States warned the United States Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom that the decision to prosecute them risked creating a "secular blasphemy law" to persecute Christians, Muslims, and Jews.[29] Ten academics from the United States signed an open letter to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom stating that the "prosecutions are straightforward acts of oppression".[30]

The District Court found her and Pohjola not guilty of all charges and ordered the prosecution to pay their legal costs[31] on 30 March 2022.[32] In response to the ruling, the prosecutor Anu Mantila stated that the District Court "interpreted the statements differently than the prosecution and that's why they viewed that the limits of freedom of speech weren't breached ... It’s my impression that this is because the elements that infringed on equality and the prohibition of discrimination weren't taken into consideration accordingly." Mantila stated that the verdict was incorrect and unjust and said there was "a high probability" she would appeal it.[33] Later the prosecutor's office publicly announced an intent to appeal,[34] which it did on April 29, 2022.[35] Räsänen estimated that judicial proceedings "will take at least one year, I suppose, perhaps many more years".[36]

Stance on abortion

Räsänen opposes abortion. Räsänen contrasted abortion law to animal protection law saying that the latter gives better protection for animals than the former does to human fetuses:

"The law on animal protection gives better protection to an animal about to be put down than the law on abortion does to an unborn child. It is forbidden to cause the animal pain when slaughtering it, but no one dares to even discuss the painfulness of abortion. Abortion is defended on the grounds that the fetus is not a human person, even though it is a biological human individual from the moment of conception."[37]

About 6,500 abortion rights supporters formally renounced their state church membership in the first six days following the controversy. The average number leaving had been 70 persons a day previously.[38][39]

Personal life

Räsänen is married to a Lutheran pastor, has five children, and ten grandchildren.[40] She lives in Riihimäki.[1] Räsänen is a physician and holds a Licentiate of Medicine.[41]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Päivi Räsänen". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). Sanoma News. 11 April 2009. Archived from the original on 23 October 2012. Retrieved 23 June 2011.
  2. ^ a b "Ms Päivi Räsänen is the New Minister of the Interior". Ministry of the Interior. 22 June 2011. Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 23 June 2011.
  3. ^ "Räsänen nousi kristillisdemokraattien johtoon" (in Finnish). MTV3. Suomen Tietotoimisto. 2 October 2004. Retrieved 23 June 2011.
  4. ^ Laitinen, Joonas (18 June 2011). "Kristillisten Päivi Räsänen ottaa vastuun maahanmuuttoasioista". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). Sanoma News. Archived from the original on 19 June 2011. Retrieved 23 June 2011.
  5. ^ Male and Female He Created Them by Päivi Räsänen, Lutheran Heritage Foundation, Macomb, Michigan
  6. ^ Leader of evangelical Lutheran churches investigated for distribution of booklet on homosexuality, Evangelical Focus, 12 February 2020
  7. ^ Seppälä, Olli (2 November 2010). "Homoillan jälkeen yli 40 000 eronnut kirkosta" (in Finnish). Kotimaa-yhtiöt. Archived from the original on 6 November 2010. Retrieved 23 June 2011.
  8. ^ "Yli 56 000 eronnut tänä vuonna – Homoillan jälkeen 30 000 eroamista" (in Finnish). Vakaumusten tasa-arvo. 20 October 2010. Retrieved 23 June 2011.
  9. ^ "Wallin: Räsänen ei voi paeta vastuutaan". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). Sanoma News. Suomen Tietotoimisto. 17 October 2010. Retrieved 23 June 2011.
  10. ^ Pirhonen, Kalle (18 October 2010). "Päivi Räsänen aamu-tv:ssä: "Homoseksuaalisuuden harjoittaminen on syntiä"". Ilta-Sanomat (in Finnish). Sanoma News. Retrieved 23 June 2011.
  11. ^ "Räsänen ei pidä homokommenttejaan erityisen jyrkkinä". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). Sanoma News. Suomen Tietotoimisto. 15 October 2010. Retrieved 23 June 2011.
  12. ^ Manner, Maria (29 October 2010). "Konservatiivien kuningatar". Ylioppilaslehti (in Finnish). Student Union of the University of Helsinki. Retrieved 23 June 2011.
  13. ^ "Wallin ja Thors: Räsäsen pakolaispuheet käsittämättömiä". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). Sanoma News. Suomen Tietotoimisto. 29 October 2010. Retrieved 23 June 2011.
  14. ^ "Räsänen: Tulkinta pakolaispuheista yksiviivainen". Turun Sanomat (in Finnish). TS-Yhtymä. Suomen Tietotoimisto. 29 October 2010. Archived from the original on 7 October 2011. Retrieved 23 June 2011.
  15. ^ Sisäministeri Räsänen ottaisi Suomeen 300 kiintiöpakolaista lisää ensi vuonna, Yle.fi, 9 July 2014, accessed 9 July 2014.
  16. ^ "Nergin nimitys oli tyylipuhtaasti, läpeensä poliittinen". Karjalainen (in Finnish). Pohjois-Karjalan Kirjapaino. 8 September 2012. Archived from the original on 11 September 2012. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
  17. ^ ”Maaperästämme tulee ensi-iskujen kohde”, sanoi Saramo Nato-keskustelussa, Orpo taas osoitti sanansa Ehrnroothille, Helsingin Sanomat, May 15, 2022
  18. ^ Finnish Christian MP under incitement investigation for quoting the New Testament by Samuli Siikavirta, Evangelical Focus, 2 September 2019
  19. ^ "Ex-interior minister Räsänen charged with hate speech". Yle.fi. 29 April 2021.
  20. ^ The unstoppable march of state censorship, Spiked, 17 May 2021
  21. ^ Freedom of Religion and Speech Is on Trial in Finland by Elyssa Koren, National Review, 24 January 2022
  22. ^ Trial of Räsänen and Pohjola completed: decision comes at the end of March by Matti Korhonen and Uusi Ti, Evangelical Focus, 15 February 2022
  23. ^ Liveblog (stopped): Trial against Christian MP Pävi Räsänen will resume in February, Christian Network Europe, 24 January 2022
  24. ^ Liveblog (closed): Second day of hearing in case against Finnish MP Päivi Räsänen, Christian Network Europe, 2 February 2022
  25. ^ Liveblog (closed): Charges are dropped in case against Finnish MP Päivi Räsänen, Christian Network Europe, 30 March 2022
  26. ^ Päivi Räsänen trial: Prosecutor demands fines, defense sees factual errors in the prosecution by Uusi Tie and Matti Korhonen, Evangelical Focus Europe, 25 January 2022
  27. ^ A Protest and Call for Free Religious Speech in Finland, 29 June 2021, International Lutheran Council
  28. ^ European Evangelical Alliance Sends Letter to Finnish Government Expressing "Dismay" Over Päivi Räsänen Case, European Evangelical Alliance news, 17 May 2021
  29. ^ US senators fear Finnish MP's trial could pave the way for more prosecutions of Christians by Julian Mann, Christian Today, 25 January 2022; text of letter at 01.24.22 Letter to IRF Ambassador
  30. ^ A Letter to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom by Peter Berkowitz, Keegan Callanan, Carlos Eire, Robert P. George, Mary Ann Glendon, Sergiu Klainerman, John B. Londregan, Jacqueline C. Rivers, David Rivkin, and Adrian Vermeule, RealClearPolitics, 28 May 2021
  31. ^ "Finnish MP wins on all charges in major free speech trial • The European Times News". www.europeantimes.news. 30 March 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
  32. ^ Finnish Lutherans fully acquitted by Kevin Armbrust, reporter.lcms.org, 30 March 2022
  33. ^ Finnish lawmaker acquitted of charges over derogatory comments on homosexuals by Aleksi Teivainen, Helsinki Times 31 March 2022
  34. ^ Prosecutor to continue "campaign" against Finnish MP after major free speech victory, adfinternational.org, April 6, 2022
  35. ^ Finnish prosecutor revives 'Bible Trial' hate speech charges against Christian politician by Mark A. Kellner, The Washington Times April 29, 2022
  36. ^ Finland’s 'Bible Trial' to continue despite district court win for evangelical lawmaker by Mark A. Kellner, The Washington Times, June 27, 2022
  37. ^ ((in Finnish): “Eläinsuojelulaki antaa paremman suojan lopetettavalle eläimelle kuin aborttilaki syntymättömälle lapselle. Eläimelle ei saa teurastettaessa tuottaa kipua, mutta abortin kivuliaisuudesta ei uskalleta edes keskustella. Aborttia puolustetaan sillä, että sikiö ei ole ihmispersoona, vaikka onkin hedelmöityksestä lähtien biologinen ihmisyksilö”) Räsänen's speech, Matskut.helsinki.fi
  38. ^ Räsäs-kohun aikana yli 6500 eronnut kirkosta, Kaleva.fi, 17 July 2013
  39. ^ Räsänen’s comments cause spike in church resignations, Yle.fi, 11 July 2013
  40. ^ Finnish MP has all "hate speech" charges dismissed, ADF International, 30 March 2022
  41. ^ "Räsäsen viimeinen taisto". Yle.fi (in Finnish). 27 March 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
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Political offices
Preceded by Minister of the Interior of Finland
22 June 2011 —25 May 2015 		Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by Chairperson the Finnish Christian Democrats
2 October 2004 —28 August 2015 		Succeeded by
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