Finnish People First

Finnish People First[1] (Finnish: Suomen Kansa Ensin, SKE[2]) is a nationalistic political party in Finland. It was founded in 2018.[3]

Finnish People First

Suomen Kansa Ensin
AbbreviationSKE
ChairpersonDisputed
SecretaryDisputed
Vice chairpersonDisputed
Founded2018 (2018)
Split fromSuomi Ensin
HeadquartersTampere, Finland
IdeologyFinnish nationalism
Euroscepticism
Anti-immigration
Anti-Islamization
Political positionFar-right
Parliament of Finland
0 / 200
Website
skepuolue.fi
Finnish People First campaigning during SuomiAreena

History

Finnish People First originates from the Suomi Ensin ("Finland First") movement that organized a protest camp in central Helsinki in the spring of 2017.[4][5] The movement was led by Marco de Wit,[4] a YouTuber from Tampere.[6][4] The movement splintered into numerous competing factions, one of which evolved into Finnish People First,[4] also led by de Wit.[7] It was registered as an association in November 2017.[8] The association had amassed the required 5,000 supporter cards by October 2018, and was admitted to the party register in December that year.[4] Soon after, the party descended into internal strife. A party conference was convened to address the issue, but only resulted in furthering the divides. The conference re-elected Marco De Wit as the party chairman, but some members of the party contested the validity of the conference.[9] Another conference in November 2019 also brought up divisions within the party, when a group of members voted a new chair to the meeting and after meeting was partly scattered from the premises by security, disputed new chair decided the meeting would continue at a neighbouring room with large part of participants while another disputed chair decided to continue meeting at the original premises with rest of the participants.[10] Crime report was filed after the meeting and trial will decide the legitimate board of members.

Finnish People First took part in the 2019 parliamentary election. During the campaign the party displayed campaign ads that the police is investigating for criminal content.[11] No candidates were elected.[12]

Ideology

Finnish People First is extreme nationalist and anti-immigration.[13][4] It opposes Finland's membership in the European Union and the Eurozone, and would return to its former currency, the Finnish markka.[14] The party opposes NATO and what it calls "harmful immigration" and "Islamization".[4] The party has been described as far-right,[15] although the way it describes its position on the left–right political spectrum is ambiguous.[14]

Organization

According to established website of the party, current chairman is Marco De Wit and vice chair Olli Juntunen.[10][16] The other members of the board are Tuukka Pensala, Mari Kosonen, Pekka Kortelainen, Siri Jutila, and Pasi Kallio.[16] However, new website has been opened for the party, which has disputed these members, and claims that current chair is Riikka Salmi.

Election results

Parliamentary elections
Election Votes % Seats +/– Position Ref
2019 2,366 0.1 (#17)
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 [12]

See also

References
  1. "Extra-parliamentary parties band together ahead of April elections". Yle News. 6 January 2019. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
  2. "Friday's papers: Independence Day ball and demonstrations". Yle News. 7 December 2018. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  3. Tikkala, Hannu; Tolkki, Kristiina (3 April 2019). "'Hävittäjähankinnat peruttava, 1 200 euron perustulo kaikille, opintolainat nollattava' – tätä kaikkea pienpuolueet lupaavat äänestäjille". Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). Retrieved 8 May 2019.
  4. Paakkanen, Mikko (11 December 2018). "Suomeen rekisteröitiin uusi maahanmuuttovastainen puolue". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  5. "Suomeen syntyi uusi puolue – tunnetaan Rautatientorin tempauksesta". Helsingin Uutiset (in Finnish). 11 December 2018. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  6. Eklund, Ville (11 December 2018). "Uusi Suomen Kansa Ensin -puolue nousi puoluerekisteriin – 18 puolueesta ainoa, jolla ei ole ruotsinkielistä nimeä". MTV Uutiset (in Finnish). Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  7. "Suomi ensin -liikkeen keulahahmo Marco de Wit aikoo rekisteröidä yhdistyksensä puolueeksi eduskuntavaaleihin". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). 30 October 2018. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  8. "PRH Yhdistysnetti". Yhdistysrekisteri (in Finnish). Patentti- ja rekisterihallitus. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  9. Pekkonen, Sanna (20 January 2019). "Vasta perustetussa Suomen Kansa Ensin -puolueessa kytee jo erimielisyyksiä: Osa uskoo, ettei puolue edes pääse vaaleihin – 'Mikään ei voi estää meitä'". MTV Uutiset (in Finnish). Retrieved 28 April 2019.
  10. "Vallankaappausyritys Suomen kansa ensin -puolueessa – puheenjohtajaksi halunnut heilui nuija kädessä kokouksessa". Turun Sanomat (in Finnish). 28 November 2019. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
  11. "Poliisi epäilee rikosta Suomen kansa ensin -puolueen kampanjoinnissa – toinen epäillyistä puolueen puheenjohtaja Marco de Wit". Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). STT. 9 April 2019. Retrieved 28 April 2019.
  12. "Party results". Information and Result Service. Ministry of Justice. 17 April 2019. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
  13. Huusko, Markku (3 May 2019). "'Suomen pitää luopua eurosta ja ottaa käyttöön oma valuutta' - Vaalit lähestyvät, näin ehdokkaiden vastaukset vaihtelevat EU-vaalikoneessa". Talouselämä (in Finnish). Retrieved 6 May 2019.
  14. "Kansallismielinen Suomen Kansa Ensin puoluerekisteriin". Ilta-Sanomat (in Finnish). STT. 11 December 2018. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  15. "Vasemmistoliiton Markus Mustajärvi puolustaa puheenvuoroaan äärioikeiston mielenosoittajille". Lapin Kansa (in Finnish). STT. 7 December 2018. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
  16. "Puoluehallitus" (in Finnish). Suomen Kansa Ensin. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
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