Finnish government parties have called for action over a Facebook post by Finns Party MP Mauri Peltokangas, who asked followers whether they wanted an “Afghan Muslim” as Finland’s interior or foreign minister after the next parliamentary election.

Peltokangas also wrote that the Social Democratic Party would arrange a “quota Muslim” as a minister if it won the election and asked whether a Muslim Social Democrat would represent the interests of “native Finns”.

The comments prompted criticism from opposition politicians and members of the governing National Coalition Party and Swedish People’s Party.

Education Minister Anders Adlercreutz, leader of the Swedish People’s Party, described the post on Yle’s A-studio programme as racist, inappropriate and offensive.

“This creates threats, labels people and talks about them in a contemptuous and inappropriate way,” Adlercreutz said.

The National Coalition Party and Swedish People’s Party want the Finns Party parliamentary group to address the case. Adlercreutz said the issue would move to discussions between parliamentary group leaders if the Finns Party did not deal with it internally.

Finns Party parliamentary group leader Jani Mäkelä has not committed to such a meeting. Mäkelä told Ilta-Sanomat that the group would not meet before parliament’s summer recess approaches its end in early September.

The dispute centres in part on whether Peltokangas was referring to SDP deputy chair and MP Nasima Razmyar, who was born in Afghanistan and has said she is Muslim.

Razmyar told Helsingin Sanomat that she had no doubt the post referred to her. She called the Finns Party “an openly racist party”, while specifying that her description concerned the party rather than its voters.

Peltokangas denies referring to Razmyar.

“I didn’t even remember the whole Social Democrat when I posted that,” he told MTV Uutiset. He also defended his references to nationality and religion and questioned why mentioning them should be considered racist.

Peltokangas told Yle that “quota Muslim minister” was an expression referring to what he described as SDP election advertising directed at Muslim voters. He also said a Muslim Social Democrat might represent the interests of native Finns.

SDP chair Antti Lindtman has called on Prime Minister Petteri Orpo and Finns Party chair and Finance Minister Riikka Purra to respond.

Lindtman told reporters in Lahti that government parties should not allow the case to pass without action.

Criticism has also come from National Coalition Party politicians.

Environment and Climate Minister Sari Multala called Peltokangas’s comments “disgusting” on X and said politicians should not have their competence or motives judged on the basis of ethnic background or religion. She called on the Finns Party leadership to intervene.

Peltokangas responded by challenging Multala to identify where he had assessed any politician’s competence or motives on those grounds. He said his Facebook post posed questions rather than expressing an assessment of an individual politician.

Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen said criticism should not turn into inappropriate personal attacks. National Coalition Party MP Jukka Kopra said Peltokangas’s writing was inappropriate and inconsistent with the standing expected of an MP.

Peltokangas chairs parliament’s Administration Committee.

The row also places attention on relations between the Finns Party and its coalition partners. The National Coalition Party, Swedish People’s Party and Christian Democrats have said responsibility for dealing with Peltokangas’s comments rests with the Finns Party.

HT