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==The leader==
==The leader==
The head of the movement is [[Timo Soini]], who has been the party's leader since 1997. Soini was the True Finns candidate in the [[Finnish presidential election, 2006|2006 Presidential election]], and elected to the European parliament in 2009 with the highest personal vote share in the country. Soini is an enthusiastic [[soccer]] fan, a publicly devoted [[Catholic]], and a cordial friend of the state of [[Israel]].<ref>http://areena.yle.fi/video/1301603590451 Vaalit 2011: Neljä suurta tentissä</ref> <ref>[http://www.israelated.net/node/103934 True Finns’ Timo Soini Voices Strong Support for Israel in Finnish Elections Debate]</ref> The rise of Soini and True Finns in the poll numbers have caused plausible speculations that the party could join the next government and that Soini could become the new prime minister.<ref>Porvarihallitus: [http://sites.google.com/site/oikeisto/ Tässäkö seuraava hallituspari?], accessed 28.3.2011.</ref> This opportunity has also raised some global concerns about the future and stability of the [[European Union]] and increased the international media interest of the [[Finnish parliamentary election 2011]].<ref>[http://www.businessinsider.com/the-surge-of-the-true-finns-2011-4 Business Insider, April 13 2011: The Surge Of The True Finns]</ref>
The head of the movement is [[Timo Soini]], who has been the party's leader since 1997. Soini was the True Finns candidate in the [[Finnish presidential election, 2006|2006 Presidential election]], and elected to the European parliament in 2009 with the highest personal vote share in the country. Soini is an enthusiastic [[soccer]] fan, a publicly devoted [[Catholic]], and a supporter of the state of [[Israel]].<ref>http://areena.yle.fi/video/1301603590451 Vaalit 2011: Neljä suurta tentissä</ref> <ref>[http://www.israelated.net/node/103934 True Finns’ Timo Soini Voices Strong Support for Israel in Finnish Elections Debate]</ref> The rise of Soini and True Finns in the poll numbers have caused plausible speculations that the party could join the next government and that Soini could become the new prime minister.<ref>Porvarihallitus: [http://sites.google.com/site/oikeisto/ Tässäkö seuraava hallituspari?], accessed 28.3.2011.</ref> This opportunity has also raised some global concerns about the future and stability of the [[European Union]] and increased the international media interest of the [[Finnish parliamentary election 2011]].<ref>[http://www.businessinsider.com/the-surge-of-the-true-finns-2011-4 Business Insider, April 13 2011: The Surge Of The True Finns]</ref>


[[File:Timo Soini A4.jpeg|right|thumb|[[Timo Soini]] has an exceptional background for a Finnish politician: an enthusiastic [[soccer]] fan, a publicly devoted [[Catholic]], and a cordial friend of the state of [[Israel]].<ref>http://areena.yle.fi/video/1301603590451 Vaalit 2011: Neljä suurta tentissä</ref>]]
[[File:Timo Soini A4.jpeg|right|thumb|[[Timo Soini]] <ref>http://areena.yle.fi/video/1301603590451 Vaalit 2011: Neljä suurta tentissä</ref>]]


==Rising popularity==
==Rising popularity==

Revision as of 18:43, 17 April 2011

Finns Party
Perussuomalaiset (Finnish)
Sannfinländarna (Swedish)
LeaderTimo Soini
Founded1995
HeadquartersMannerheimintie 40 B 56
FI-00100 HELSINKI
IdeologyFinnish nationalism[1]
National conservatism
Social conservatism
Euroscepticism[1]
Populism[1]
European affiliationEurope of Freedom and Democracy
European Parliament groupEurope of Freedom and Democracy
ColoursNone
(Blue, White and Gold used on logo)
Parliament
6 / 200
European Parliament
1 / 13
Municipalities[2]
443 / 10,412
Website
www.perussuomalaiset.fi

True Finns (Finnish: Perussuomalaiset Swedish: Sannfinländarna, abbreviated PS) is a populist political party in Finland, founded in 1995 following the dissolution of the Finnish Rural Party. The head of the movement is Timo Soini. In the 2011 Finnish parliamentary election True Finns have according to the polls become a serious challenger for the traditional ruling parties.[3] The party combines left-wing economic policies with strongly conservative social values. Even though True Finns is a Finnish-based movement with only newly emerging international connections, it has been compared with the rise of the Tea Party movement in the United States and other similar populist movements in Europe, critical of globalism and the well-connected power elites.[4]


True Finns stall at Hakaniemi square in 2010.

The leader

The head of the movement is Timo Soini, who has been the party's leader since 1997. Soini was the True Finns candidate in the 2006 Presidential election, and elected to the European parliament in 2009 with the highest personal vote share in the country. Soini is an enthusiastic soccer fan, a publicly devoted Catholic, and a supporter of the state of Israel.[5] [6] The rise of Soini and True Finns in the poll numbers have caused plausible speculations that the party could join the next government and that Soini could become the new prime minister.[7] This opportunity has also raised some global concerns about the future and stability of the European Union and increased the international media interest of the Finnish parliamentary election 2011.[8]

Timo Soini [9]

Rising popularity

After its founding in 1995 it took time before True Finns started to win credible ground in the Finnish elections. By the time of its founding the party had one MP, Raimo Vistbacka, who renewed his mandate in the 1999 election. In the 2003 parliamentary elections, the party gained three seats. But in the 2007 Parliamentary Election, the party more than doubled its share of the vote, gaining 2 further seats for a total of 5. In the 2008 Municipal election the party won already most voters in districts where Social Democratic Party and the Left Alliance lost most.[10] According to the party secretary the True Finns has gained most voters from the Center Party, the Social Democrats, the National Coalition and the Left Alliance. About a third of the party voters have a yearly income in excess of 50 000 euro.[11] In March 2011, ahead of the parliamentary election, in a poll by Finland's leading newspaper Helsingin Sanomat the party reached 18.4%, ranking it as the second most popular party in Finland.[12]

Issues

Policies of the party include:[13][14]

  • Progressive taxation and the welfare state
  • Opposition to the European Union and to admission to NATO
  • Abolition of mandatory Swedish on all levels of education
  • Decentralization of municipal government
  • State support for rural regions
  • Reductions in foreign aid
  • Strict limits on asylum-seekers
  • Increased state investment in infrastructure and industry
  • Pro-industry environmental policy
  • Tax cuts for small businesses
  • Tougher punishment for crime
  • Support to those arts promoting Finnish identity

Election results

Parliamentary elections

Parliament of Finland
Election year # of total votes % of overall vote # of seats won
1999 26,440 1.0% 1
2003 43,816 1.6% 3
2007 112,256 4.1% 5

Presidential elections

President of Finland
Election year Candidate # of total votes % of overall vote
2000 Ilkka Hakalehto 31,405 1.0%
2006 Timo Soini 103,368 3.4%

European Parliament elections

European Parliament
Election year # of total votes % of overall vote # of seats won
1996 15,004 0.7% 0
1999 14,712 0.8% 0
2004 21,417 0.9% 0
2009 162,571 9.8% 1

Municipal elections

Municipal councils
Election year # of total votes % of overall vote # of seats won
1996 21,999 0.9% 138
2000 14,712 0.7% 109
2004 21,417 0.9% 106
2008 137,446 5.4% 443

Prominent True Finns

Chairmen

Current members of the parliament

Former members of the parliament

Members of the European Parliament

Other notable True Finns politicians

References

  1. ^ a b c "Political parties". CivicActive. Retrieved 13 March 2010.
  2. ^ "Municipal elections 2008, number of elected councillors". Statistics Finland. Retrieved 30 March 2010.
  3. ^ YLE: Perussuomalaisten suosio ennätyskorkealla, accessed 1.4.2011.
  4. ^ Financial Times, April 11 2011: 'Anger begins to infect Europe’s prosperous core.'
  5. ^ http://areena.yle.fi/video/1301603590451 Vaalit 2011: Neljä suurta tentissä
  6. ^ True Finns’ Timo Soini Voices Strong Support for Israel in Finnish Elections Debate
  7. ^ Porvarihallitus: Tässäkö seuraava hallituspari?, accessed 28.3.2011.
  8. ^ Business Insider, April 13 2011: The Surge Of The True Finns
  9. ^ http://areena.yle.fi/video/1301603590451 Vaalit 2011: Neljä suurta tentissä
  10. ^ Party analysis - True Finns won the day. Statistics Finland
  11. ^ http://www.hs.fi/politiikka/artikkeli/Timo+Soini+vaatii+puolueen+ehdokkailta+taustaselvityst%C3%A4/1135253487682
  12. ^ Kalle Silfverberg Perussuomalaiset nousi gallupkakkoseksi, Helsingin Sanomat, 17.3.2011.
  13. ^ http://www.perussuomalaiset.fi/arvomaailmamme
  14. ^ Program for the 2011 election