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Ano Turtiainen

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Ano Turtiainen
Turtiainen in 2020
Member of the Finnish Parliament for South-Eastern Finland
In office
April 17, 2019 – April 4, 2023
Parliamentary groupPower Belongs to the People (2021–2023; renamed from Eduskuntaryhmä Ano Turtiainen from 2020–2021)
Finns Party (2019–2020)
Personal details
Born
Ano Veli Samuel Turtiainen

(1967-08-25) 25 August 1967 (age 57)
Sääminki, Mikkeli Province, Finland
Alma materWärtsilä Vocational School
OccupationEntrepreneur, MP
[1]

Ano Veli Samuel Turtiainen (born 25 August 1967) is a Finnish former powerlifter and far-right politician who served in the Parliament of Finland for the South-Eastern Finland constituency from 2019 to 2023. He is also founder and former leader of the Power Belongs to the People party. He lives in Juva. Turtiainen was elected to the parliament in the 2019 parliamentary election.[1] Turtiainen was expelled from the Finns Party for posting a tweet perceived as mocking the murder of George Floyd in February 2021.[2]

Sports career

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Turtiainen competed for the International Powerlifting Federation, World Powerlifting Congress and World Powerlifting Organization. In 1998, Turtiainen was tested positive for androgenic drugs and banned for two years.[3] In 2002, he set a deadlift world record 405.5 kg for WPC.[4]

Political career

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In 2017, Turtiainen was elected into municipal council of Juva in Southern Savonia as a representative of the Finns Party.[5]

In the 2019 parliamentary election, Turtiainen was elected member of parliament from the South East Finland constituency. In the 2023 parliamentary election, he received only 632 votes in the South East Finland constituency, thereby failing to retain his seat in parliament.[6]

Controversy

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January 2020 Finnish newspaper Iltalehti revealed that Turtiainen had used travel expense allowance during his sick leave. Turtiainen also had the highest count of the allowance usage according to the paper.[7]

The same month Turtiainen mocked a Finnish police officer on Twitter who filed a report of an offence. District attorney dropped the charges later, calling Turtiainen's statement to be within limits of acceptable criticism towards authorities despite the use of derogatory wording.[8]

Expulsion from the Finns Party

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On 3 June 2020 Turtiainen mocked the murder of George Floyd on his Twitter account with a tweet showing an image of Floyd, a police officer's knee on his neck and his face colorized pink, with the phrase "Pink Floyd".[9] His parliamentary group called the tweet "not acceptable".[9] The tweet was later deleted.[9] As a response to Turtiainen's tweet, the Finns Party expelled him from the parliamentary group.[10] The previous misconduct was taken account as well.[11] Citing zero tolerance for racism, US-based company Elitefts announced that it is ending its business relationship with Ano Turtiainen's company, Metal Sport & Gear.[10]

Turtiainen proceeded to found his own parliamentary group of one man. He appointed as the group secretary a former the Finns Party MP James Hirvisaari. Hirvisaari had been expelled from the Finns Party in 2013 after two incidents: he refused to fire his assistant who published racist post on the internet and his parliamentary visitor performed a Nazi salute which Hirvisaari photographed.[12]

COVID-19

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Turtiainen has criticized actions related to COVID-19 pandemic, calling them "neo-communism" and refusing to take a COVID vaccine. He has also been spreading conspiracy theory related COVID-memes on his social media platforms.[13][14] Within the Parliament Turtiainen has caused controversy by refusing to wear a face mask during the time it was recommended. He has been using derogatory language towards the Chairmen after receiving animadversions from them regarding the face mask issue. In one instance fellow representatives interpreted his hand signs and choice of words as a violent threat.[15] Spring 2021 Turtiainen stated that he is "ready to kill if somebody in this country is forced to wear a mask".[16] However, in Autumn 2020 it was revealed that his own company did manufacture and resell face masks. Turtiainen responded by saying he had nothing against the use of protective equipment.[17]

Power Belongs to the People

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Main article: Power Belongs to the People

In 2021, Turtiainen expanded his parliamentary group into a full political party, called "Power Belongs to the People". According to the party, the required 5,000 voter signatures were collected in a one day.[18]

After the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Turtiainen caused public controversy with statements supporting Russia. The controversy caused 6 out of 10 Regional Council representatives of Power Belongs to the People to resign from the party.[19] Turtiainen called them "opportunists".[20]

After the 2023 parliamentary election, Turtiainen and his party secretary Marko Hiltunen were invited to attend the Russian government-organised St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. Both have said that Russia paid for their tickets, which cost more than €25,000.[21]

Turtiainen was expelled from the party's leadership in March 2024 due to disagreements with the rest of the leadership. After this, the party publicly distanced itself from Turtiainen's pro-Russian positions.[22]

Russia connection

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Former Member of Parliament Turtiainen participated in an international conference in Moscow in April 2024.

Criminal record

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In December 2015 Turtiainen published a Facebook status saying that "people had taken great personal risks when acting in elimination operations to destroy existing and planned asylum centres". In his Facebook status, Turtiainen considered the Finnish Red Cross to be his greatest enemy and wrote if "it was now time to expand operations to the enemy headquarters". The matter escalated into a controversy after Member of Parliament Laura Huhtasaari had liked the status. The Finnish Red Cross reported Turtiainen's message to the police. In September 2018 Turtiainen was sentenced in the district court of Southern Savonia to 60 day-fines for public incitement to crime.[23][24] After being elected as a Member of Parliament, Turtiainen commented that "in this company this sentence is just a feather in my cap".[25]

Turtiainen has also been sentenced for assault. According to Helsingin Sanomat, the district court of Southern Savonia sentenced Turtiainen to fines in March 2010 for assaulting a 14-year-old boy from Juva. Turtiainen had been previously sentenced for assault in 1995 and 1997.[26]

Entrepreneurship

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Turtiainen owns 60% of the company METAL SPORT Licensing Oy, 50% of the company Gometal Oy and 50% of the company Bobbin Oy (Metal Sport).[1] On 21 April 2022, Gometal Oy was declared bankrupt due to accrued taxes owed.[27] Gometal Oy sold powerlifting equipment, clothing and Power Belongs to the People Party's fan products.[28]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Ano Turtiainen profile". Parliament of Finland. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  2. ^ IL:n tiedot: Kansanedustaja Ano Turtiaiselle potkut perussuomalaisista - "Vahingoittanut puoluetta", Iltalehti. Accessed on 27 February 2021.
  3. ^ "Kolmelle voimanostajalle kahden vuoden kilpailukielto" (in Finnish). Helsingin Sanomat. 12 June 1998. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  4. ^ Valta, Ville-Veikko (15 April 2019). "405,5 kiloa maasta vetänyt voimanoston ME-mies nousee eduskuntaan Kaakkois-Suomesta – saanut tuomion rikokseen yllyttämisestä" (in Finnish). Iltalehti. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  5. ^ Turkkila, Matias (10 April 2017). "Kaikki perussuomalaiset valtuutetut". Suomen Uutiset (in Finnish). Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  6. ^ "VKK:n Ano Turtiainen ei uusinut paikkaansa kansanedustajana, sai 632 ääntä". Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). 2 April 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  7. ^ "Kansanedustaja Ano Turtiainen on laskuttanut kilometrikorvauksia myös sairauslomapäiviltä – eduskunta luottaa edustajan omaan ilmoitukseen". www.iltalehti.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  8. ^ "Syyttäjä: poliisin on kestettävä loukkaavaakin arvostelua – tutkinta kansanedustaja Ano Turtiaisen somekirjoituksista lopetettiin". Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). 4 January 2022. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  9. ^ a b c Foreigner.fi. "Perussuomalaiset MP mocks George Floyd's death". Foreigner.fi. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  10. ^ a b Hartikainen, Jarno: Perussuomalaisten eduskuntaryhmä erotti Ano Turtiaisen sopimattoman somekäytöksen vuoksi, Helsingin Sanomat 4 June 2020. Accessed on 4 June 2020.
  11. ^ "Ano Turtiainen erotettiin toistaiseksi perussuomalaisten eduskuntaryhmästä". Ilta-Sanomat (in Finnish). 4 June 2020. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  12. ^ "Perussuomalaisten eduskuntaryhmästä erotettu Ano Turtiainen perusti oman yhden miehen eduskuntaryhmän". Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). 9 June 2020. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  13. ^ "Perussuomalaisten ryhmästä erotettu Ano Turtiainen ja puolueen kansanedustajat sanaharkassa koronaviruksen vakavuudesta: "Aika titityy on sellainen kansanedustaja"". mtvuutiset.fi (in Finnish). 3 January 2021. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  14. ^ "Kansanedustajat tyrmäsivät yhtenä rintamana Ano Turtiaisen koronapuheet". Maaseudun Tulevaisuus (in Finnish). Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  15. ^ "Välikohtaus eduskunnassa – maskikehotuksesta tuohtunut kansanedustaja Turtiainen uhkaili varapuhemiestä kädet nyrkissä". www.iltalehti.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  16. ^ "Ano Turtiainen uhkaili väkivallalla jos maskipakko tulee - puhemies puuttui välittömästi: "Tuomittavaa"". www.iltalehti.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  17. ^ "Kansanedustaja Ano Turtiaisen firma valmistaa maskeja, mutta itse hän ei niitä käytä – näin hän selittää puheitaan "välineteatterista"". mtvuutiset.fi (in Finnish). 30 November 2020. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  18. ^ "Ano Turtiaisen Valta kuuluu kansalle merkitty puoluerekisteriin". www.iltalehti.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  19. ^ Tervonen, Tuukka (5 May 2023). "Sirpaloituneen VKK:n johtaja Ano Turtiainen uskoi vaalivoittoon – nyt hän sanoo Nasan valehtelevan maapallon pyöreydestä ja vaalituloksesta". Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  20. ^ "VKK:n rivit rakoilevat: Ano Turtiaisen Venäjä-puheet, autoritaarinen johtajuus ja uskonnolliset kannanotot ajavat pois puolueesta". Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). 11 April 2022. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  21. ^ "Ex-kansanedustaja Ano Turtiainen lähti Venäjän junailemana Pietarin talousfoorumiin – "Epätoivoinen yritys", sanoo asiantuntija". Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). 14 June 2023. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
  22. ^ "Ano Turtiainen sai lähtöpassit Valta kuuluu kansalle -puolueen johdosta". Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). 25 March 2024. Retrieved 25 March 2024.
  23. ^ Teittinen, Paavo (28 December 2015). "Kansanedustaja Huhtasaari sanoo tykänneensä väkivaltaan yllyttävästä Facebook-päivityksestä vahingossa – "En missään nimessä hyväksy"" (in Finnish). Helsingin Sanomat. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
  24. ^ "Finns Party pol fined for inciting violence against Red Cross". Yle News. 12 September 2018. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  25. ^ "Valituksensa hovioikeuteen perunut kansanedustaja Ano Turtiainen ei kadu tuomittua tekstiään — "Tässä porukassa tämä tuomio on vain sulka hattuun"" (in Finnish). Länsi-Savo. 8 May 2019. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
  26. ^ Pietiläinen, Tuomo (19 May 2019). "Kaksi kansanedustajien lausahdusta kiteyttää sen, miksi median pitää tarkasti kaivaa poliitikkojen tekemisiä" (in Finnish). Helsingin Sanomat. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
  27. ^ "MP's bankrupt business owes tens of thousands in unpaid taxes". Yle News. 25 April 2022. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  28. ^ "METAL SPORT - STRENGTH EQUIPMENT SHOP". Retrieved 16 May 2022.
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